Statement from Dervişoğlu after shaking hands with Bahçeli: 'He has a right over me'

A statement has come from IYI Party leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu, who shook hands with MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli. Dervişoğlu said, "Of course, I would shake hands in a respectful manner."

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Statement from Dervişoğlu after shaking hands with Bahçeli: 'He has a right over me'

Tensions between the IYI Party and the MHP escalated after MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli invited PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan to the Parliament. During his party's group meeting, IYI Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu reacted harshly to the MHP leader's statements by throwing a noose at Bahçeli. Following the escalating tension, the two figures shook hands during the October 29 Republic Day celebrations, bringing those moments back to the top of the agenda.

The handshake footage brought discussions of a "new solution process" along with it. IYI Party leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu answered questions on the subject from HaberTürk columnist Nagehan Alçı. Dervişoğlu said, "Of course, I would shake hands in a respectful manner with a person who has a right over me."

Dervişoğlu stated the following:

"We were walking side by side with Devlet Bey due to protocol. Of course, I would shake hands in a respectful manner with a person who has a right over me. The issue is not shaking hands, but extending a hand. I see a problem in terms of who they are extending their hands to. You cannot hand the key to solving the problem to the murderer of 50 thousand people. Moreover, this was tried before. Even his letters were read. Was it successful? No! First of all, the timing is wrong. Look, this issue is a bleeding wound for Turkey. We need to solve this. But we must approach the issue with a comprehensive historical consciousness. You can find the points where the demands of innocent Kurds and those of separatists intersect. I am not speaking to hardline nationalist reflexes. This issue should not be brought to the agenda in this way. New debates will emerge from this, headlines about a second republic will come to the agenda, words said in the past will be brought up... Turkey cannot handle this tension right now."

Defending that CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's move of "I am raising the stakes. I am promising a state to the Kurds" was also wrong, Dervişoğlu said, “It was very wrong. Responsible politics cannot be conducted this way.”

News Source: 12punto