Gov't allows religious cult to collect donations, but not us, CHP MP says

Duvar English

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Ali Mahir Başarır has criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for forbidding the CHP to collect donations, but allowing a religious cult to do so.

"It seems that the İsmailağa Association has the authority and permission to collect donations and share their bank account numbers. However, the municipalities of the CHP, which struggle to aid citizens, are not allowed," Başarır tweeted on April 3, referring to the government's decision to prevent municipalities from collecting donations to be used in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Görünen o ki İsmailağa Derneği’nin Koronavirüs için yardım toplamaya ve iban bilgisi paylaşmaya izni ve yetkisi var.

Ama vatandaşlara yardım etmek için mücadele eden Cumhuriyet Halk Partili belediyelerin bağış toplamaya izni yok öyle mi?

Siz akıllanmazsınız! pic.twitter.com/CU2U1rAI0I

— Ali Mahir Başarır (@alimahir) April 2, 2020

AKP's relations with religious cults have been a subject of debate in Turkey, especially after the July 15, 2016 attempted coup - widely believed to have been orchestrated by the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, an ally-turned-foe of the AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The botched coup that killed over 250 people followed years of Gülenist infiltration in state institutions. The government is currently being criticized for not distancing itself from Islamist groups and letting cults fill the gap in state institutions that opened after widespread dismissals of Gülenists.

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