'Founding leader' debate between CHP and MHP in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey: 'You are engaging in empty polemics'

A "founding leader" debate took place in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey between CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir and MHP Group Deputy Chairman Erkan Akçay. İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Turhan Çömez and CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir expressed their reactions to Bahçeli's statement in the General Assembly.

Speaking in the General Assembly, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir reacted to Bahçeli's statement, saying, "They are calling Abdullah Öcalan a 'founding leader.' However, this country has only one founding leader, and that is Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. We do not and will never accept calling anyone else a 'founding leader' under this roof established by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk."

"YOU ARE ENGAGING IN EMPTY POLEMICS"

Following the remarks by CHP's Emir, MHP Group Deputy Chairman Erkan Akçay said, "The Group Deputy Chairman of the Republican People's Party, which in past years carried posters of Öcalan and Atatürk together with crowds chanting 'Leader Apo' on various streets in Istanbul, is saying these things. Have we ever heard the words 'terrorist leader' or 'head of a terrorist organization' from your mouths? You are engaging in such empty polemics based on a statement by our Chairman."

"I CONDEMN IT"

İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Turhan Çömez, in his speech at the General Assembly, reminded that the YPG is defined as a terrorist organization on the official website of the Ministry of Interior and stated that it is wrong to expect peace from the process. Çömez noted the following:

"Mazlum Kobani is wanted with a red notice as the head of the YPG terrorist organization on the official website of the Ministry of Interior, and you see, some politicians and government officials are making political analyses based on the signature of this vile terrorist and talking about stability coming to the region. I say this very clearly: I reject and condemn all mindsets under the roof of this supreme Assembly that cannot distance themselves from a terrorist organization, that hope for help from terrorism, that bargain with terrorism, that sit at the same table as terrorism, that do not or cannot call a terrorist organization a 'terrorist organization,' and that try to turn a murderer of 50 thousand people, the head of a terrorist organization, into a 'people's leader' or 'founding leader,' or try to extract a peace dove from this vile organization."

"IF YOU DO NOT SHOW IT, YOU ARE A LIAR AND A SLANDERER"

Emir stated that Akçay must prove the allegations he made, pointing out that the CHP's stance against terrorism has never changed, and said:

"First of all, if you can defend yourself, do so; if you cannot, do not attack the Republican People's Party. You will show here which Group Deputy Chairman carried a picture of Abdullah Öcalan next to a picture of Atatürk; if you do not show it, you are a liar and a slanderer. We call Abdullah Öcalan 'Abdullah Öcalan,' and we call the terrorist organization a 'terrorist organization'; we have been saying this for fifty years. If you, who were saying this until two months ago, say 'founding leader' yesterday, I will ask this on behalf of the nation: I will ask what happened that the terrorist leader is now a founding leader. You will answer this or you will look down silently; there is no such thing as that."