Alleging that the attempt to overthrow Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan last month had some connection in India, Turkey on Monday urged the Indian authorities and Maharashtra Government to shut down all the institutions in Mumbai and elsewhere in the country, linked to the Fethullah Gulen “terror” network.
Talking to the media, Turkey’s Consul General Erdal Sabri Ergen said that his country had requested the Indian authorities as well as the Maharashtra Government to act against the network of Gülen movement in Mumbai and elsewhere in the country. “Everything connected with this network should be closed. They should be put under microscope. This is an illegal network with a sinister design in mind,” he said.
Blaming the Gulen-led movement, Fethulla Terror Organisation (FETO) and “a section of the army” for the failed coup in Turkey last month, Ergen said, “FETO has a worldwide network including India.. In the aftermath of coup attempt in Turkey, we have found some connection in India, particularly Mumbai... The institutions connected with the network are (there) in Mumbai. Our Ambassador has informed Indian authorities. We believe the Indian authorities already had that information”.
While in New Delhi, Turkey’s Ambassador Burak Akçapar has written to the Indian Government, the Consul General in Mumbai has been in touch with the Maharashtra Government officials. “Our communication with Maharashtra Government is in parallel to what our Ambassador is doing in Delhi,” Ergen said.
“India and Turkey are democratic countries. India must support our country (by acting against Gülen network)...the FETO supports or are part of educational institutions, hospitals, musafirkhanas and so on. Not only it (FETO) is a threat to us it is also dangerous to your (India’s) security,” he added.
Declining to either identify or specify the number of such Mumbai-based organisations that have links with FETO, Ergen said, “Jordan closed down (Gülen supported or affiliated organisations) immediately. In Somalia, there was a hospital that we took over... We have informed the Indian Government and the Maharashtra Government about these organisations... These organisations must be closed down”.
When pressed for details, the Turkey Consul General said, “For legal reasons I cannot be specific... I can’t take names. I cannot name individuals or institutions for legal reasons... We have given a lot of documents and provided evidence. There are several such institutions in Mumbai and elsewhere in India”..
Maintaining that FETO was not a terror organisation in a classical sense, Ergen said, “The network projects a positive, moderate image... what they have done is not good... it is sinister... it is not a terrorist organisation in a classical sense, but what they are doing is not good.”
Describing the foiling of the coup attempt by the people of Turkey was a victory of democracy and media, Ergen said,”There will be consequences for Fethullah terror organisation which has network in many countries including India. This organisation’s leader is sitting in Pennsylvania”.
Replying to a question, Ergen admitted that some Turkish people were either manning or part of such organisations and said that his Government is planning to cancel their visas. “There are some people who might have got into it unknowingly...we are telling them to come out and inform...Infiltration into the (Turkish) Government is going on with a bigger vision to take over the country. The purge started around a year ago...The purge would have taken place in the military in August and the people supporting (Gülen) would have been retired out of jobs. Before the purge took place, they attempted the coup (in July)”.