CHP leader Özel's harsh 'Hatay' response to Erdoğan: 'He is engaging in political blackmail'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel paid a condolence visit to the family of taxi driver Oğuz Erge, who was murdered by Delil Aysal.

Following the visit, CHP leader Özel said the following:

PROPOSAL FOR SAFETY CABINS FOR TAXI DRIVERS

"Even if one had a heart of stone, this brutal and cruel murder committed against someone who said, 'Would I leave you in this cold, my brother?' has devastated us all. I have not been able to recover from the impact since the moment I saw it. I wanted to pay a visit to see if we could do anything for those left behind and for his colleagues.

Perhaps the loss of our brother Oğuz is a great pain, but taxi drivers are constantly suffering losses. We will bring this issue to the agenda in Parliament regarding the measures that can be taken. Our colleagues will submit a proposal for a Parliamentary Research Commission. There is the issue of safety cabins, but how it can be implemented will all be discussed.

'POLITICAL BLACKMAIL' RESPONSE TO ERDOĞAN

Responding to the remarks of President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who said, "If the central government and local government do not join hands, that city will not receive anything; did anything come to Hatay?", Özel said:

"The earthquake happened on February 6. Our 10 provinces were affected, and all of our hearts are still burning. We will all be in the earthquake zone on February 6 as well. However, no sane person can tolerate hearing Erdoğan's words that 'Hatay was left forlorn'. I leave this political blackmail to the people of Hatay. An aunt from Hatay said, 'We would die before we bow down to this.'

Who is he saying he left Hatay forlorn to? He is telling people of every faith, 'My heart is this stony.'

Unfortunately, he is engaging in political blackmail. The people of Hatay will give him the best answer. I am complaining about this to our entire nation.

I am complaining to everyone who voted for him on May 28. Can there be threats and blackmail against earthquake victims?

If Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a heart, he wouldn't say such things.

If there is any CHP member who thinks this way, then shame on them. Shame on such politics and such a politician.

The housing need is 260 thousand. 98 out of 100 people are either in tents or containers. Erdoğan will not solve this problem in 4 or 5 years either. He is trying to discipline people with cold, rain, and snow. Shame on him! It is a waste of every breath spent addressing him. I am complaining to those who voted for him. I don't know how a person's eyes could become so blinded. He must have a heart of stone."

When asked about individual armament, Özel gave the following response:

"We are always against it. It is said that there are 30 million individual weapons.

We are against them being acquired so easily. We are against it reaching these points. We are also against it being turned into a completely unregulated area. Inspections must be carried out both for the safety of taxi drivers and for individual armament. As the CHP, we are against all types of armament. The issue of unlicensed weapons is also at an uncontrollable point."

WHAT HAPPENED?

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went to Hatay for the first anniversary of the February 6 earthquakes. In his speech there, Erdoğan said the following, which drew reactions for his remarks directed at the people of Hatay:

"We have shared our candidate for the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, our brother Mehmet Öntürk, with the public as the People's Alliance candidate. I am pleased to see that our brother Mehmet has won the favor of the people of Hatay. Even though Hatay receives public investments in full, it is a city that struggles to realize its potential due to a lack of vision at the local level. If the central government and local government do not join hands, if they are not in solidarity, that city will not receive anything. Did it come to Hatay? Currently, Hatay has been left strange, left forlorn. The current local administration in Hatay, unfortunately, became 'too little, too late' after this earthquake event. Where is the mayor? He is not there."

News Source: 12punto