Woman shouts ‘liar’ at İmamoğlu with Quran in hand during speech

While Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was speaking at a metro opening ceremony, a woman shouted "You are a liar" with the Quran in her hand. İmamoğlu reacted, “Our sister was deceived,” and added, “May Allah reform those who do politics with the Quran in their hands.”

Saturday March 16 2024 03:08 pm

Duvar English

While Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was speaking at the opening ceremony of Çekmeköy-Sultanbeyli Metro Line, a woman shouted "You are a liar" by raising the Quran in her hand.

İmamoğlu reacted, "I will take the Quran from you if you want to give it to me as a gift. Calm down, our sister is deceived. Slandering with the Holy Qur'an in hand is the greatest of sins, may Allah help her. May Allah help her during this blessed Ramadan."

#CANLI

İmamoğlu mitinginde Kuran'lı protesto: Aldanmış ablamız elinde Kur'an-ı Kerim ile büyük günah... pic.twitter.com/jmzNWrgbSS
— duvaR (@gazeteduvar) March 16, 2024

İmamoğlu also criticized ruling Justice and Dveelopment Party (AKP) politicians and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who often used Islamic symbols and Quran during political speeches and rallies.

Istanbul Mayor said, "They deceived even our sisters like this one. May Allah reform those who make politics with the Quran in their hands. They were deceived and we will save them too."

The police removed the woman from the area afterward.

The districts of Çekmeköy, Sancaktepe, and Sultanbeyli, where İmamoğlu inaugurated the new metro line, have been traditionally considered strongholds of the AKP.

İmamoğlu underscored that when he first took office in 2019, the municipality's metro company was burdened with a debt of 70 million euros. He pointed out that as a result, the AKP, which previously controlled the municipality, halted the construction of 10 metro lines in those districts.

“The municipality did not even have five cent to pay for a metro. It’s metro budget was bankrupt. This is the truth that they are trying to hide from the citizens,” İmamoğlu said to explain the municipality’s state when they came to power.

İmamoğlu stated that they completed 65 kilometers of rail system line and 62 stations in the five years he was in office.

The ruling AKP has nominated former Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum to challenge İmamoğlu, aiming to reclaim control of Istanbul, a city it governed for decades until the CHP won the 2019 elections through a broad alliance.

In the upcoming March 31 elections, CHP's İmamoğlu is facing a different landscape compared to the previous elections. He has not been enjoying the same level of support as before, especially as the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and the nationalist opposition Good (İYİ) Party have fielded their own candidates.

To use the opportunity, AKP has been building a propaganda to belittle the municipality's services or attribute them to the works has been done during their term.