Boycotted celebration

Turban shadowed the Sovereignty and Children’s Festival. Despite the statement of Arinc that his head-geared wife would not join the reception, the President, CHP members, commanders and high judiciary officials were not present in the reception.The turbaned wives of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul were not present in the reception. Seven AKP members including AKP Deputy Chairman Murat Mercan, Parliamentary Interior Commission President Zeyreddin Akbulut and Istanbul Deputy Muharrem Karsli joined the reception with their head-geared wives. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that the non-attendance of the President and commanders was not nice and that, “The agenda of the country is unemployment, poverty and how to overcome these problems. Nobody has the right to turn this festival into another thing. Our people will never forgive those who contributed to this polemic. We will never answer those who try to create tension.” Arinc said, “Officials did not join the reception and this is their decision. Some irresponsible circles tried to shadow this festival, which was celebrated by Parliament and given to children as a gift, with their speculations, but they could not succeed. Everything will be much better and this night is an indication for this.” AKP Deputy Chairman Dengir Firat dubbed the boycott as “disrespectfulness to Parliament”.�