Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Erdoğan Toprak said it was very wrong for Bahçeli to associate Gülen with the video scandals involving several MHP members. “It is very wrong to involve individuals who have nothing to do with these incidents, I mean the person who is referred as ‘beyond the [Atlantic] ocean’ in this incident. A politician needs to be reasonable. Why are you involving someone else in your trouble? Gülen is a figure who has made contributions to the education of this country in the international arena. So, I find his being pulled into such an issue is very wrong,” Toprak told Today’s Zaman.
In addition to the CHP official, MHP members and Idealists [Ülkücü -- the nationalist youth movement of the MHP] criticized Bahçeli over his remarks targeting Gülen.
Orhan Bıçakçıoğlu, a former MHP deputy, said it was an unacceptable thing for the leader of a nationalist party to attack Gülen with such accusations. “No leader of a right-wing party has any right to attack the Gülen movement in this way. This movement has a place in the heart of the nation, “Bıçakçıoğlu said, adding that the MHP leader tries to put the blame for his possible election defeat on the Gülen movement.
President of the İstanbul branch of Türk Ocakları [affiliated with MHP and Idealists] Cezmi Bayram said it was religiously, legally and morally wrong for Bahçeli to direct accusations at Gülen without evidence. “Bahçeli is distancing the MHP sympathizers within the Gülen community from the party,” he warned. Yet another reaction against Bahçeli came from Zihni Tekman, mayor of Erzurum’s Alvar district which is ruled by the MHP. Erzurum is the hometown of Gülen.
Tekman said he and the people of his district are very disturbed about statements by Bahçeli targeting Gülen.
“It is unacceptable for the Idealist community to approve these reckless statements. I think accusations against Gülen are unnecessary and inappropriate,” Tekman said.
Published on Today's Zaman, 13 May 2011, Friday
