AKP's Mehmet Metiner rebels: Announces he is stepping down!

Former AKP deputy and Yeni Şafak columnist Mehmet Metiner has announced that he will be taking a break from his columns regarding politics and public assessments for a while. Emphasizing that his personal views should not be interpreted as representing the AK Party, Metiner stated that he does not regret any of the words he has written so far.

“I STAND BEHIND MY WORDS”

Metiner said, “I do not regret any of the words I have written in this column to date. I can say with peace of mind that none of my words have been contrary to the Islamic creed or the founding principles of our AK Party. I stand behind all of them to the end.” He stated that he has acted by saying “right is right, wrong is wrong” in his writings.

“OFFICIAL IDEOLOGY DOMINATES MINDS”

Arguing that the old mentality in Turkey is not easily abandoned, Metiner used the following expressions: “I saw that the mind and rote learning of the old Turkey are not easily abandoned. Every new thing you say, even if it is verses from the Quran or the words of the Prophet (pbuh), hits that wall and bounces back. Because the official ideology has largely dominated our minds.”

AKP's Metiner had previously experienced disputes with many party members during the renewed reconciliation process initiated by Bahçeli's call.

Metiner used the following expressions in his article:

"I am very tired.

The articles about the process were also tiring.

I have said what needed to be said.

History is recording all of our words.

I entrust those words to future generations.

I sincerely hope that the process will be successful in the predicted direction.

Everything I said here were my personal thoughts.

It is not right to read the AK Party through my words, and it is not right at all to criticize the AK Party.

Even though I have been an AK Party deputy for three terms, I am not in a position to represent the AK Party.

Therefore, what I say only binds me.

If what I say is to be written to the credit of the AK Party, I would be pleased.

If there is any mistake or flaw in my words, I see blaming our President and our AK Party for it as both an injustice and a sad mistake.

I do not regret any of the words I have written in this column to date.

I can say with peace of mind that none of my words have been contrary to the Islamic creed or the founding principles of our AK Party.

I stand behind all of them to the end.

Because what I said were words in accordance with our Islamic teachings.

They were words in accordance with justice and fairness.

They were words in accordance with my democratic stance.

I did not write to please anyone.

I did not write by harboring hostility toward anyone or any community.

I have no time for personal hostility.

I know that personal hostility consumes a person.

I did not allow the anger I felt toward a person or a community to lead me to injustice.

I said right is right, wrong is wrong.

I have said so many words up until this time.

Every single word is a trust left not only to those living today but also to future generations.

I believed that one must be brave.

Because it would not be fitting to remain silent after seeing that the rote learning of years has clouded our Islamic creed and changed our intellectual direction.

It would not be fitting to act cowardly either.

I saw that the mind and rote learning of the old Turkey are not easily abandoned.

Every new thing you say, even if it is verses from the Quran or the words of the Prophet (pbuh), hits that wall and bounces back.

Because the official ideology has largely dominated our minds.

It is certainly sad to see that the neo-Unionist and Kemalist mind has been internalized.

Our bodies are Muslim, but our minds have long been closed to the concepts and ways of thinking belonging to Islamic teaching.

It is also sad not to be aware of this.

It is also sad to witness that those who try to dress Islam in concepts contrary to Islamic teaching/creed, and those who place concepts imported from the West at the level of divine decree instead of the texts of the Quran, have their words crowned as supreme."