CHP head backs free Koran plan
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 05, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Republican People’s Party, or CHP, leader Deniz Baykal supported his party’s Kocaeli mayoral candidate, Sefa Sirmen’s, pledge to "build Koran schools in every district," yesterday before a top-level party meeting.
"The Kocaeli municipality developed the project to meet the people’s demand, just like opening up a computer or a foreign language course," Baykal said, less than two months prior to local elections in March.
With coordination with the Religious Affairs Directorate, in accordance with the laws, the Constitution and basic principles of the state, the Koran can be taught to children who are of an appropriate age.
"There are courses that evade the directorate’s control. Sometimes we see Koran courses that merely make children memorize the Koran. We need to pass beyond this," Baykal said.
Baykal also backed CHP’s Parliamentary group deputy leader and Istanbul mayoral candidate, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who said he would speak with the İsmailağa religious order to learn "why they would not vote for him."
"Kılıçdaroğlu’s visit to people who are not considered our voters is a sign of self confidence. We must establish contact with them," Baykal said.
Meanwhile, CHP Deputy General Secretary Mehmet Sevigen said the reason given by veiled members of the CHP for their resignation from party ranks was not true. "Only a person not nominated as a candidate and his entourage left the party," Sevigen said. Many women with chadors who joined CHP ranks in November left the party.
With coordination with the Religious Affairs Directorate, in accordance with the laws, the Constitution and basic principles of the state, the Koran can be taught to children who are of an appropriate age.
"There are courses that evade the directorate’s control. Sometimes we see Koran courses that merely make children memorize the Koran. We need to pass beyond this," Baykal said.
Baykal also backed CHP’s Parliamentary group deputy leader and Istanbul mayoral candidate, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who said he would speak with the İsmailağa religious order to learn "why they would not vote for him."
"Kılıçdaroğlu’s visit to people who are not considered our voters is a sign of self confidence. We must establish contact with them," Baykal said.
Meanwhile, CHP Deputy General Secretary Mehmet Sevigen said the reason given by veiled members of the CHP for their resignation from party ranks was not true. "Only a person not nominated as a candidate and his entourage left the party," Sevigen said. Many women with chadors who joined CHP ranks in November left the party.