ANKARA — The Turkısh Grand National Assembly (TBMM) yesterday convened to discuss a motion to establish a committee to investigate four former ministers accused of corruption. The four were named during the Dec. 17 operation. After the emergence of the claims, the ruling AK Party submitted the motion to launch a parliamentary investigative committee to assess the claims. Former Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan, Interior Minister Muammer Güler and Urbanization Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar resigned from their posts and EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış was discharged in a cabinet reshuffle after the Dec. 17 operation in 2013. AK Party Deputy Süreyya Sadi Bilgiç, Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) Deputy Hasip Kaplan, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Vice President Engin Altay and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Adana Deputy Seyfettin Yılmaz all spoke about the motion to establish an inquiry committee. Each of the former ministers Çağlayan, Güler, Bağış and Bayraktar defended themselves for 10 minutes in the Parliament and the deputies voted on the motion by secret ballot.During their speech, the former ministers stated that 10 minutes is not enough to defend themselves. The former ministers asked for other deputies' blessings and stated that they were victimized by the Gülen Movement. In a meeting at the AK Party headquarters neither ministers nor deputies asked questions and they stated that they had no suspicion in their minds regarding the former ministers.The former ministers submitted an application to the parliament speaker for the formation of a parliamentary committee in March and the CHP has made four separate applications to Turkey's Parliament for an inquiry. However, the ruling AK Party has withdrawn the motion in favor of a new motion containing more detailed claims against the former ministers.The Dec. 17 operation by members of the Gülen Movement in the judiciary and police to usurp state powers. After the operation, sons of three ministers who resigned from the government and renowned businessmen Reza Zarrab were arrested and then released.