Kılıçdaroğlu's first statement on the handshake crisis at the funeral: Gürsel Tekin expresses reproach to Özgür Özel
Regarding the "handshake" controversy between Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Özgür Özel at Hüsamettin Cindoruk's funeral, Gürsel Tekin expressed reproach, stating that Özel could have also initiated a greeting. Tekin said, "We saw Kılıçdaroğlu after the ceremony ended. He even asked, 'Why didn't you tell me?' We said we didn't see it either. We definitely didn't notice. You would appreciate that there is a lot of security and chaos in such crowds. I would have expected this: Mr. Özgür must have noticed, we didn't look to the right at all. Kılıçdaroğlu is our party elder. When our former chairmen arrived, we would say 'hello.' If they noticed, they could have come and said hello. I would have done it."
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The images from the funeral ceremony held for former Parliament Speaker Hüsamettin Cindoruk, showing former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and his successor Özgür Özel, have found a wide place on the political agenda. In the moments interpreted on social media as "cold winds," it was noted that Kılıçdaroğlu was chatting with Gürsel Tekin, who was beside him, and did not make any contact with Özel.
RESPONSE TO THE CONTROVERSY
The images led to assessments that there is distance between the two figures following the change in CHP leadership. Making a statement after the incident that became a topic of discussion, Gürsel Tekin stated that what happened was due to a misunderstanding.
Speaking to TGRT Haber, which is close to the government, Tekin used the following expressions regarding the issue:
"We arrived with Kılıçdaroğlu. It was very crowded. Naturally, you look at the funeral and the media section when you arrive. In that rush, we didn't see any of them. One does not pass by without a greeting at such ceremonies. We saw Kılıçdaroğlu after the ceremony ended. He even asked, 'Why didn't you tell me?' We said we didn't see it either.
We definitely didn't notice. You would appreciate that there is a lot of security and chaos in such crowds. It is also not in line with our traditions. Let's call this a road accident.
I would have expected this: Mr. Özgür must have noticed, we didn't look to the right at all.
Kılıçdaroğlu is our party elder. When our former chairmen arrived, we would say 'hello.' If they noticed, they could have come and said hello. I would have done it.
Age is very important to us. Wherever we saw our former chairmen, we would never fail to show our respect."
WHAT HAD ÖZEL SAID?
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, in response to a question about the images where Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu did not greet him, had replied: "Mr. Kemal does not normally have such a situation of not greeting. Mr. Kemal would never ignore any of us like that anyway; I mean, we meet and talk at every opportunity. It is an absent-mindedness that would happen due to that religious ceremony and the extreme crowding of that environment at that moment; other than that, we would never expect such a thing from Mr. Kemal."