AKP deputy Uslu resists apology calls

Parliament Administrator Salim Uslu has drawn rebuff both from the opposition and his own party seniors because of his physical assault on Deputy Kamer Genç on the General Assembly stage.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç advised Uslu to apologize to Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Genç over his physical assault in Parliament. CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu described the event as “dictatorship of the majority.”

“Uslu should say ‘I shouldn’t have pushed him forcefully. I displayed a wrong attitude. I apologize on my own behalf.’ Apologizing is a virtue,” Arınç said.

An altercation took place in the General Assembly on Nov. 10 after Genç said in his speech the government was not doing enough against corruption. Parliament Deputy Chairman Sadık Yakut turned off Genç’s microphone for “going off topic.”

After Genç refused to step down from the rostrum, Uslu, from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), approached the stage and pushed him forcefully into the table behind him after a verbal argument. Genç narrowly avoided falling to the ground by clutching the table. The CHP demanded an apology from Uslu, as well as an official reprimand. The AKP voted against the motion and Uslu refused to apologize.

Arınç, however, criticized Uslu’s assault toward CHP’s Genç. “Uslu should have said ‘Please take your seat.’ He should not have pushed Kamer Genç,” Arınç said to Cumhuriyet daily.

“We should consider the reputation of the Parliament. It’s the place for free speech, not the place of bullying. Deputies who behave impolitely and hurtfully can be warned and imposed sanctions. The one on the rostrum also should be careful. It’s not right to correct a mistake by making another mistake,” Arınç said.

Kılıçdaroğlu said Uslu’s action was unacceptable, and he advised Parliament at a party meeting in Antalya to place leverage on Uslu. “This action means dictatorship of the majority. We will collapse this dictatorship,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek also expressed sorrow over the altercation. “This incident saddened me. I called the deputy group chairmen of the CHP and the AKP. I wish everybody will behave more responsibly,” Çiçek said yesterday in a TV program on state-run TRT-1.

Çiçek called the deputy group chairmen for a meeting, the Hürriyet Daily News has learned. Çiçek will urge the deputy group chairmen to keep calm during sessions in the General Assembly.