06 April 2016•Update: 06 April 2016
ANKARA
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday rebuked "indecent" remarks by the main opposition party leader about a female cabinet minister.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), had accused Family and Social Policies Minister Sema Ramazanoglu of remaining silent on a recent student sexual abuse scandal in the central Karaman province.
"The governor does not speak, the police chief [or] education minister does not [speak]. The family minister also does not speak, as she lay down before someone," Kilicdaroglu told his party's group meeting about the abuse scandal.
"Our minister of family and social policies is attacked with indecent expressions, and ugly remarks are used about our minister," said Erdogan in an address to mukhtars, village headmen, at the presidential complex.
"Every word uttered by this person [Kilicdaroglu] is waste, unnecessary, just like himself. This person shames the very party he leads," said the president.
Saying that the “pervert” responsible for the abuse is currently in prison and being held accountable for what he did, Erdogan asked, "What will we do to these political perverts?" He added that the opposition leader’s remarks had raised the level of immorality and ugliness in politics.
Ramazanoglu herself also called on the public and CHP members to take a stand against Kilicdaroglu, saying: "On behalf of all women, I strongly condemn these unfair and unlawful remarks, which crossed the line."
