Kılıçdaroğlu: A President Doesn’t Step on the Soil of His Country With Shoe Covers

* Photograph: AA - Archive

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has commented on President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's picture showing him in an agricultural field in Polatlı, Ankara while wearing shoe covers.

"A person who rules a country, a president does not step on the soil of his own country with shoe covers", Kılıçdaroğlu has criticized Erdoğan.

Paying a visit to the district of Fındıklı in Turkey's Black Sea province of Rize to congratulate the district mayor from the CHP for his election win, Kılıçdaroğlu has made a statement in front of the municipality building.

Addressing the people of Fındıklı with Erdoğan's picture in his hand, Kılıçdaroğlu has stated the following in brief:

"A person who rules a country, a president does not step the soil of his or her own country with shoe covers. We step on the soil barefoot. We roam around barefoot. The soil takes the electricity from the body. To top it all, he had his photo taken with shoe covers. May Allah protect people from hubris."

Continuing his remarks, Kılıçdaroğlu has said, "A virtuous person says, 'I am the dust of everyone's foot.' I am especially calling out to my brothers and sisters from the AK Party: Do not let them wear this long shoe cover fearing, 'My shoes, my expensive clothes get dusty'. If you are afraid of dust and soil, then do not go there. There are thousands of our martyrs under this soil." (AÖ/SD)