HDP criticizes budget of Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Amid the budget talks at the Parliament, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP Hüda Kaya addressed the MPs about the budget allocated to the Presidency of Religious Affairs yesterday (December 15).

Underlining that unlawfulness prevails in all institutions of the system, HDP's Kaya has indicated, "The institution of religious affairs, to which people have attributed competence in the name of faith, have been in a greater sin, bigotry, injustice and decay when compared to all other institutions."

'Everyone has the right to have a share'

The MP has reminded the lawmakers that the Presidency of Religious Affairs has a budget which is higher than that of 13 ministries and has hundreds of thousands of personnel. Kaya has asked, "Does the Presidency of Religious Affairs represent 83 million people that it has such a huge budget?"

"The existence of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, as a symbol of ravaged religionism, is a matter of survival for palaces," the MP has protested further, adding that "all citizens have the right to have a share in the funding provided to the Presidency of Religious Affairs."

Indicating that the Presidency's approach to religion is "solely based on Sunni and Hanafi Islamic tradition," Kaya has said, "Our all citizens in Turkey, Christians, Jews, Êzidîs, Syriacs, Alevis, Caferis, Shafiis and atheists alike, pay their taxes like everyone else. This tax is levied from everyone by force, regardless of whether they go to a mosque or not.

"This budget is a budget that our people do not approve of or consider to be halal (permissible by religion). The state is not supposed to have a religion or sect. Both the religion and the sect of the state is justice." (DŞ/SD)