Kılıçdaroğlu replies to Erdoğan's “like a lamb” jibe

CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu retorted to President Tayyip Erdoğan’s jibe about him that “He came to the palace like a lamb” saying, “Erdoğan does not know me. I am a bold person. I am not a coward. I went there for Turkey, not Erdoğan. I went there because I was opposed to coups. Not for Erdoğan. If Erdoğan thinks I went for him, he is mistaken. I did not even eat the cake that was offered to me thinking it to be religiously forbidden. That much luxury is religiously forbidden. I believe in Abu Zar’s philosophy. And he in Muawiyah’s philosophy. Abu Zar said, “If the palace was made with the people’s money it is religiously forbidden. If it was made with your own money, it is a waste.” Ostentation and luxury represent what is religiously forbidden. Every vote given to Erdoğan amounts to partnership with that which is religiously forbidden.

 Kılıçdaroğlu fielded journalists’ questions on the way to Manisa:

 * Cannot pass at lightening speed: (Return to the parliamentary system) Constitutional change is needed to pass to the democratic parliamentary system. For constitutional change, both the Nation Alliance and the parties that are currently not included in this alliance must say, “Yes” to constitutional change. It is incorrect for the change to be passed through parliament at lightening speed. It must pass with social agreement. It must be cleansed of coup law. There must be a more democratic political parties law. Another force must not mortgage parliament’s will.

 * Transition protocol: (Is Akşener uncomfortable?) No, she gave no sense of discomfort or any such thing. We made a decision saying let experts from the four parties convene and settle on the main principles for a transition to a democratic parliamentary system and let us make a public announcement. A protocol will also be drawn up for the transition to a democratic parliamentary system.

 * When he talks the economy sours: Erdoğan has no idea what he is going to say. He has no horizon as to Turkey’s future. So, he’s finished. All his rhetoric involves saying, ‘You will see after 25 June.’ As to what you will see, that is uncertain. He does not speak about the economy at all. It has been suggested to him, “Don’t talk. When you talk the economy goes sour.” How he will combat unemployment is unclear, what he will do in foreign policy is unclear, what will happen in education is unclear. How social peace will be achieved is unclear, the farmers’ situation is unclear.

 * Erdoğan is not governing Turkey: He is not governing Turkey. The ruling forces are doing so and policies are created at the suggestion of those forces. In foreign policy, entering Syria was at the suggestion of the ruling forces. It was the Gülen brotherhood that suggested undermining the system of meritocracy in the state. Moving from an economy of production to a rent economy was at the suggestion of the building contractor fraternity. Erdoğan is no longer capable of producing intelligent policies.

 * Even if they are repeated, they will lose: (Will the 24 June elections be repeated?) They, too, see and know they are going to lose. Once the Nation Alliance has gained the majority in parliament, Turkey will have moved onto a healthy path. Let them hold as many elections as they like. Note, they are losing every election. They have now embarked on a downward trend. The people have finally had their fill. On the Erdoğan front and in the People’s Alliance, in turn, there is consternation over losing. There is also great dismay and hopelessness in the base. In the endeavour to consolidate the base, there is something reminiscent of bankrupt merchants riffling through old ledgers. A frame of mind fed by hopelessness.

 * We will lift the state of emergency within one month: Erdoğan says they may lift the state of emergency. When Mr Muharrem İnce is elected, the first thing he will do is lift the state of emergency. We will lift it within one month. A decision will be made within one month at the latest. We will give this pledge to the West.

 * Bugging one hundred per cent: (Phone bugging claim) It came to light during the Justice March. Software for bugging phones developed by a German software company is sold to Turkey. Who buys it? It was the German media that exposed the full truth. In response to this, we presented petitions to both the Ministry and the German Embassy. We said, “The company cannot sell this software to another country without the German government’s approval.’ We said, ‘Make known the company that made the sale and the entity.’ We are waiting for the reply. There was one hundred per cent bugging and the number of people bugged is one hundred per cent. All of this correspondence exists. Both Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and our parliamentarians and citizens are on the list. Since the German government gives approval, it is not sold to a company. There is a sale between two states.

 * He will keep chasing up the judge: (197 thousand lira damages) The judges were changed while the trial was progressing. Even though my lawyer called for the evidence to be gathered, the judge did not do so. First an application for recusal of the judge was made and it was denied as being contrary to procedure. He received an instruction and did what the instruction called for. Permission is not even given to the right to prove. I will in fact win that lawsuit. The chance of me losing that suit is zero. The court rules without evidence. We will open a campaign and pay. Do the son-in-law and brother-in-law exist? They do. Does Halk Bank exist? It does. Are the transaction slips correct? They are. What are you objecting to? Just which company he sold is missing. Since the judge passed ruling to order, they wanted to create the impression that Kılıçdaroğlu had been found guilty before the election. We will complain to the Board of Judges and Prosecutors. Damages should not pave the way to enrichment. The Court of Cassation has case law. Damages of this magnitude arose because Erdoğan is very poor! We will also sue the judge for damages. He ruled incorrectly and prejudicially, he did not step down from the case despite the recusal application, and we will file a criminal complaint against him on the grounds that he lost his impartiality.

 Erdoğan is beaten. The people are the losers: (Higher interest rates to the counter rising exchange rate) In the end, Erdoğan is beaten and the usurers win. He said, “We will not make an increase,” and he said, “We will not surrender to usurers and lobbies.” He has sat in the lap of lobbies and usurers. At home, he acted as if he was resisting. He went to London and begged and beseeched. In the end, he put up interest rates. Erdoğan did not lose. It is the people who lost. What will become of Erdoğan? He sits in his palace and nothing changes in his life.

 You cannot enter the nuptial chamber on other people’s money: Erdoğan is obliged to account to the public where he will find 240 billion dollars in one year. He must account to this people what he did in return for this 240 billion dollars in debt. I am not talking about the citizen’s debt; I am talking about the Republic of Turkey Government’s debt. You cannot enter the nuptial chamber on other people’s money. You cannot hold weddings and festivals on other people’s money.”

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