Words from Özel, who visited Boğaziçi University, that will anger Erdoğan

CHP leader Özgür Özel paid a visit to Boğaziçi University. Meeting with students on campus, Özel evaluated recent developments and voiced his criticisms regarding the appointment of trustees and political interference in universities.

Speaking to members of the press after the visit, Özel explained the purpose of his visit with the following words:

“We came to show support, to chat with the students, and in a sense, to offer our well wishes. Starting from my time serving in professional organizations, I have come to Boğaziçi many times as a speaker, and later as a member of parliament after the Soma disaster. This is my second visit as Chairman.”

“THERE IS A RESENTMENT, ANGER, AND TRAUMA AT BOĞAZİÇİ”

Stating that he encountered a very different mood at the university today compared to his previous visits, Özel made the following assessment:

“In my nearly 10 visits, I saw something today that I had not seen in the eyes of Boğaziçi before. There is a state of resentment, anger, and trauma due to what happened last week.”

“THEY TRIED TO CREATE A BOĞAZİÇİ MISE-EN-SCÈNE”

Touching upon the visit of AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Boğaziçi University, Özel criticized the process with harsh words:

“Erdoğan came here. They closed the roads to traffic a day in advance. They cleared the neighborhood. They did not let students onto the campus. They did not let faculty members onto the campus, and by bringing in youth branch members from outside, they had Erdoğan throw carnations here and tried to create a Boğaziçi mise-en-scène.”

“STUDENTS RESPONDED TO THE MISE-EN-SCÈNE”

Drawing attention to the students' reaction to this scene, Özel said:

“Today, the students gave an incredible response to this mise-en-scène. Last time, they called out to the 'AK Youth' who were presented as if they were university students, saying, 'Come on, show your blue Boğaziçi ID card so we can see it.' We didn't see a single card.”

“IT IS A SUMMARY OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY”

Describing what happened during the visit, Özel conveyed the students' attitude with these words:

“Today, our friends who welcomed us here with courtesy, hosted us, asked questions, and chatted with us, held up hundreds of student ID cards in a commemorative photo and posed with them. This is the summary of yesterday and today.”

“A PERSON WHO CANNOT TEACH WAS APPOINTED AS TRUSTEE”

Touching upon the rectorate process at Boğaziçi University, Özel expressed his criticisms regarding the appointment method as follows:

“Five years ago, he first appointed Melih Bulu as rector here. He appointed someone as a trustee here who does not have the qualifications to teach at this university and who, according to the academic rules of this university, would not be able to teach at Boğaziçi.

With the rectorship duty he has performed since that day, he is attacking the university's tradition. He is attacking its institutionalism. He is attacking student clubs. He is attacking their spaces. He is attacking their work.”

Regarding the question about the allegation that Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was not allowed to meet with members of parliament, Özel gave the following response:

"Dear friends, firstly, this is an agenda, a very important agenda, and this visit was very good for the university. Therefore, I will not answer other political questions, but we do not have an urgent situation right now. Our friends are looking into it. We are looking, we are seeing. We will take the necessary precautions and make the necessary interventions regarding whatever is required."

Finally, touching upon President Erdoğan's remarks regarding governors, Özel made the following assessment:

"The sin of every suhoor table that could not be set, every iftar that could not be held as it should have been, every retiree who cannot make ends meet, every student who cannot take the lunchbox they desire to school, and every parent who is devastated by this, lies with Erdoğan, who has held all the authority while governing Turkey for 23 years. He should not go about sharing the sin with governors."

News Source: 12punto