Demirtaş: CHP Doesn’t Owe Anything to Us, It Owes Service to People

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Imprisoned in Edirne Type F prison for almost two and a half years, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) former Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş has given an interview to Mahmut Hamsici from BBC Turkish via his attorneys.

CLICK - Demirtaş: Please Go to Polls and Cast your Vote

In his interview, Hamsici asked Demirtaş, "Some HDP voters criticize the CHP for not thanking the HDP voter base enough for having supported the CHP in the West. Do you agree with these criticisms?"

Demirtaş has answered this question in following words:

"Our voters went to the polls for creating an opportunity for democracy and peace, not to receive thanks from the CHP. The municipalities of the CHP do not owe anything to us, but they owe an equal, just, transparent and democratic service to the people.

"However, the CHP Central Office has to develop bold policies and solution offers in the name of democracy and peace in accordance with its social democratic identity. It is the most urgent expectation and need of not only people from the HDP, but of the whole society. If they hesitate to do it, voters will, of course, take it into consideration."

Attack against CHP Chair: An open operation of threat

In his interview, Demirtaş has also touched upon the attack against Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at the funeral of a soldier in Ankara. Regarding the attack, he has stated the following:

"It is apparent that it is an operation aimed at teaching a lesson, cajoling them into accepting the lesser of two evils and making them pay a price. Such acts of lynch cannot be committed without being condoned or supported by someone from inside the state.

"Let's not kid ourselves, it is an open operation of threat. However, they are dangerous steps which also have the potential to trigger fault lines in the society. People should not be an instrument to such provocations or serve evil purposes by being agitated."

To İmamoğlu: It should be realized in practice

Lastly, Demirtaş has made the following remarks on the political stance of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Metropolitan Mayor of İstanbul:

"An embracing language is important and meaningful in politics. Doing politics by respecting differences is for the benefit of the whole country, the whole society will benefit from that.

"However, it would not suffice to do it solely in words, but it should be realized in practice as well. I wish that İmamoğlu will be insistent on the politics of unity within democracy without knuckling under polarizing, otherizing pressures and blackmails. I wish his success within this frame." (PT/SD)