AKP Penalizing Baydemir Over ‘Kurdistan’ Had Applauded Erdoğan

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Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Urfa MP Osman Baydemir being penalized for saying “What I want as a Kurdish person, as a representative coming from Kurdistan is a common Turkish-Kurdish roof” has recalled President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s speech in 2013 to mind. Erdoğan was the prime minister at that time.

Erdoğan was applauded by AKP MPs

Criticized by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Republican People’s Party (CHP) MPs for saying Kurdistan, Erdoğan stressing that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk used the word Kurdistan as well said, “Was he a separatist too?” in the weekly group meeting of the AKP.

Erdoğan briefly said:

“MHP and CHP MPs shall read the first official records of the parliament. They will see the word Kurdistan in those record. When they look in the past they will see that eastern and southeastern [regions] are the Kurdistan state of the Ottoman [Empire]”.

Penalty was imposed on Baydemir for saying “I’m a representative from Kurdistan”

Baydemir said “What I want as a Kurdish person, as a representative coming from Kurdistan is a common Turkish-Kurdish roof” in the budget discussions held at the parliament yesterday (December 13).

As Baydemir faced negative reactions from the AKP MPs as he used the word “Kurdistan”, Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) Deputy President Ayşenur Bahçekapılı asked Baydemir, “Where is Kurdistan?”. Showing his heart with his hand, Baydemir said, “Right here Mrs. President, Kurdistan is right here”.

The penalty of taking Baydemir out of the parliament temporarily was proposed due to his “Kurdistan” word.

Bahçekapılı said that the proposal was given due to his statement that “I am a Kurdistan MP”, not over “Kurdistan”.

Baydemir was suspended from two sessions and fined to pay 12 thousand liras (2,660 Euros). (EKN/TK)