What is happening 'up there'? Allegations of a reaction from Ali Erbaş to Bahçeli's 'Öcalan' call

NAGİHAN YILKIN /12punto.com.tr/ EXCLUSIVE

MHP Chairman Bahçeli's call regarding Öcalan has backfired within the ruling party's flagship newspaper, Yeni Şafak, and certain bureaucratic circles. Following Yeni Şafak's headline, 'Öcalan's place is İmralı,' it is now being reported that Diyanet Affairs President Ali Erbaş has also spoken out, stating that the call is unacceptable.

The brother of Ali Erbaş's son-in-law is also the editor-in-chief of the Yeni Şafak newspaper.

Following the call made by Bahçeli regarding Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the terrorist organization PKK, the newspaper Yeni Şafak, known for its proximity to the government, responded with a striking headline.

While newspapers close to the government ran headlines calling it a 'historic call,' Yeni Şafak, which belongs to the Albayrak Group, published on October 23 with the headline'Öcalan's place is İmralı' as its front-page story.

In the report, which prioritized a survey by Areda, the newspaper stated that 65 percent of the public finds the idea of bringing Öcalan to Parliament to be wrong.

Following the newspaper's headline, Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş commented:"Yeni Şafak newspaper also ran a headline contrary to the statements made by Mr. Bahçeli. Interesting things are happening up there. We will all see together." he remarked. 

While eyes turned to 'what is happening up there' following the headline by the Albayrak Group-owned Yeni Şafak newspaper, Bahçeli's 'Öcalan' move continues to be debated in political circles.

"NOT FEASIBLE"

It has been alleged that reactions to Bahçeli's move also came from the Diyanet, which some bureaucrats within describe as the 'backyard of politics'.

It was stated that Diyanet Affairs President Ali Erbaş shares the same view as the newspaper published by Hüseyin Likoğlu, who is the brother of the mufti son-in-law of Erbaş and the Editor-in-Chief of Yeni Şafak Newspaper.

It was alleged that Diyanet Affairs President Ali Erbaş told his close circle that "what Bahçeli is saying is not feasible."

WHAT A TERRIBLE CONTRADICTION

On the other hand, a social media post made by Hüseyin Likoğlu, Editor-in-Chief of Yeni Şafak Newspaper, following Bahçeli's call on October 22, has also caused confusion.

Likoğlu, in his social media post prior to his newspaper's "Öcalan's place is İmralı" headline, used the following expressions:

"Mr. Devlet Bahçeli's statements have scared some people quite a bit. Comments like 'Are the Kurds selling us out?' will soon hit the market. Those who have been using the PKK to force Kurdish children to fight for their own agendas are in a panic. Cryptos disguised as White Turks are worried..." 

A statement regarding our report has been issued by the Diyanet. 

Burak Orhan, Press Advisor to the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), stated to 12punto: "Our President of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, has no such statement as claimed in the report; it is a lie and a slander. The Presidency of Religious Affairs is an institution outside of politics."