Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has dismissed the notion that he knowingly insulted religious values when he stepped on an Islamic prayer rug with shoes. His supporters had a hard time advocating for him and new photos emerging on Monday will certainly not help.
Kılıçdaroğlu, who seeks to reach out to conservative voters as a presidential candidate in upcoming elections, incurred their wrath instead with the photos deemed insulting to the faithful. The unfortunate incident (which took place in the holy month of Ramadan and during a fast-breaking iftar dinner nonetheless) enraged social media users, who accused Kılıçdaroğlu of ignorance of others’ faiths. Though Kılıçdaroğlu was apologetic, two new photos, taken at the same location apparently, raised the question of whether this was a deliberate move. A second photo showed Ali Acar, who seeks nomination for a parliamentary seat from the CHP in the parliamentary elections, with Kılıçdaroğlu as both men conveniently stepped on the rug with their shoes on. Acar, who spoke to The Independent's Turkish version, said he was a practicing Muslim and did not notice the rug, assuming it was an old ordinary rug “under the dim lighting conditions of the room” where the photo was taken.
On Monday, the Sabah newspaper shared another photo of Kılıçdaroğlu in the same pose, this time next to another potential candidate for a parliamentary seat. Canan Kaftancıoğlu, CHP’s Istanbul head who posed with Kılıçdaroğlu and other potential candidates in the first photo, was again seen with the presidential candidate.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized Kılıçdaroğlu during a speech in Istanbul on Sunday. “We have about 40 days until elections and some people step on prayer rugs. This is perfectly fine for them because they follow what Pennsylvania tells them,” Erdoğan told his supporters. He was referring to the name used for Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) leader Fetullah Gülen who lives in the eponymous U.S. state. FETÖ is known for exploiting religious sentiment to advance its own agenda and Gülen’s warped interpretation of religious values.
