Imamoglu's harsh rebuke: 'To hell with such politics, to hell with such partisanship'

In his statement following the iftar with the neighborhood heads, Imamoglu said, "If the same things being done today were done to an AK Party mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu would be a coward if he did not go to court and join his defense. Such a perspective cannot exist. If it is done to someone else, it is law; if it is done to oneself, it is lawlessness."

IMM Mayor Imamoglu spoke as follows at the iftar invitation he attended:

"Now, they put forward a file whenever they feel like it, and after putting forward the file they feel like, they open an investigation. It has become a tradition; not in the morning, but at four or five in the morning, homes are raided. 65-70-year-old, decent people of that neighborhood, of that district... Most recently in Beykoz, our Mayor Alaattin Köseler was taken from his home, and then, as if it were a tradition, as if it were a custom, he was arrested. What for? 'You stay in jail, we will accuse you, and you try to clear your name there.' There is no such justice. The name of this is clear injustice. There is no other definition for it. I am saying this very clearly."

"I HAVE NEVER BEEN ONE TO WATCH WHAT IS HAPPENING FROM AFAR"

"Look, dear friends; I have never in my life been someone who shrinks away and watches what is happening from a corner. I am 53 years old. If an injustice or lawlessness is committed against someone, I run to their door. I do not look at their party. If the same things being done today were done to an AK Party mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu would be a coward if he did not go to court and join his defense. Such a perspective cannot exist. If it is done to someone else, it is law; if it is done to oneself, it is lawlessness. Such a thing cannot be. Look, this country has suffered from this. We are against such a mindset. There is no such judiciary. In a field where politics directs the judiciary as it wishes, there can be no peace in the country. Where there is no peace, there is no capital. Where there is no capital, there is no production. Where there is no production, there is no prosperity, no wealth. We only talk about poverty. The foundation of everything is justice. The religion of the state is justice. What a sacred saying, isn't it? The religion of the state is justice. It is such a beautiful saying, such a sacred trust given to us. Let the people live so that the state may live. What is it? 'Let those who are not with me not live. Let those who are not with me be eliminated.'"

"TO HELL WITH SUCH POLITICS"

"I have been a mayor for 11 years. I claim that in my 5 years of district administration, there is no other district mayor in Istanbul who has produced as many projects and held as many openings as I have. Look back; look at 2014-19. You all know and experience our openings and ceremonies from 2019 to today. Is there any more ceremony or opening than this? The governor cannot come to my opening. Isn't that so? Whose governor is the governor? Isn't he the state's? The district governor cannot come. He never came. Why can't he come? The President gave such an instruction. Who gave instructions to whom? Who am I? Who are you? Can I distinguish you, a muhtar, by your party or your views? With what face could I distinguish you? Which one of you did I look at differently? Which one of you did I speak to while looking at you differently? Can such a mindset exist? Do you know what such politics is in my eyes? To hell with such politics. To hell with such partisanship."

"IT MUST BE PURGED FROM THE SOUL OF THE COUNTRY"

"My father said to me; 'Look, my son. You will perform a good duty. This is sacred, it is service to humanity.' Two days after March 31, 2014, in Beylikduzu. We went there for morning prayer, we said our prayers, and we started our duty. 'Be worthy of your party. Be the most hardworking mayor of your party. Let your party appreciate you. But if you ever engage in partisanship, you are not my son,' my father said to me. Someone who engages in partisanship; whether they are called a mayor, a metropolitan mayor, or a president... They cannot do it, brother, they cannot. A person who is voted for by the nation cannot discriminate between people. Can such a thing happen? This mindset must be purged from the head of this country as soon as possible, friends. This mindset must be purged from the soul of the country. When you do not fend this off today, you leave this country vulnerable to all kinds of threats, all kinds of dangers. What does 'those who voted for me, those who didn't' mean? Every child of this country is my child. Every person of this country is my person, my dear, my heart. Every ethnic origin... My Kurdish citizen, my Circassian citizen, my Laz citizen, my citizen. They live under this flag, this flag is their roof, this flag is their sacred object; that is enough for me, brother, that is enough for me. They are a part of the indivisible integrity of this paradise homeland, they are a part of 86 million people; that is enough for me. Partisanship is something else. That is somewhere else. That ends."

News Source: 12punto