{{Short description|Turkish politician (1927–2011)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Hüseyin Cahit Aral | image = Grave_of_Cahit_Aral.jpg | image_size = | caption = His grave | birth_date = 1927 | birth_place = Elazığ, Turkey | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2011|11|01|1927||}} | resting_place = Zincirlikuyu Cemetery | office = Minister of Industry and Commerce | prime_minister = Turgut Özal | term_start = 13 December 1983 | term_end = 21 December 1987 | predecessor = Mehmet Turgut | successor = Şükrü Yürür | alma_mater = Istanbul Technical University | party = Motherland Party | spouse = | children = }}
'''Hüseyin Cahit Aral''' (1927 – 1 November 2011) was a Turkish engineer, politician and former government minister.
Cahit Aral was born 1927 in Elazığ to primary school teacher parents Fatma and Hakkı Aral. His was named in honor of the writer and journalist Hüseyin Cahit Yalçın (1875–1957). He graduated from the Istanbul Technical University.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.biyografi.net/kisiayrinti.asp?kisiid=123 |publisher=Biyografi |title=Hüseyin Cahit Aral ( 1927) |language=Turkish |accessdate=2011-11-01 }}</ref>
Cahit Aral entered politic after working some years in the industry. He was among the founders of the Motherland Party (ANAP), which was established after the 1980 Turkish coup d'état. He served as Minister of Industry of Commerce in the cabinet of Turgut Özal.<ref name="ht">{{cite news |url=https://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/684690-eski-bakan-cahit-aral-vefat-etti |newspaper=Haber Türk |title=Eski Bakan Cahit Aral vefat etti! |date=2011-11-01 |language=Turkish |accessdate=2011-11-01 }}</ref>
He is remembered for his message "Don't worry!" while drinking a glass of tea in front of the cameras following the Chernobyl disaster that occurred on 26 April 1986, and downplaying the disaster's possible risk effects on human health caused by radioactivity released into the environment in the Black Sea Region, where Turkey's tea plantations are located.<ref name="h2">{{cite news |url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/19142518.asp |newspaper=Hürriyet |title=Cahit Aral vefat etti |date=2011-11-01 |language=Turkish |accessdate=2011-11-01 }}</ref> For this reason, he was nicknamed "Bekerel Cahit" (Cahit the Becquerel).<ref name="ht"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://hurarsiv.hurriyet.com.tr/goster/printnews.aspx?DocID=-97501 |newspaper=Hürriyet |title=Oya Berberoğlu: Deprem bölgesinde 100 bin marka acele satılık yazlık |author=Berberoğlu, Oya |date=1999-08-22 |language=Turkish |accessdate=2011-11-01 }}</ref>
Cahit Aral died of heart failure on 1 November 2011 in Istanbul.<ref name="h2"/> He was laid to rest at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery on 3 November 2011 following a state funeral and the religious funeral service at Levent Mosque.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sondakika.com/haber-eski-bakan-cahit-aral-son-yolculuguna-ugurlandi-3104232/ |newspaper=Son Dakika |title=Eski Bakan Cahit Aral, Son Yolculuğuna Uğurlandı |date=2011-11-03 |language=Turkish |accessdate=2011-11-04 |archive-date=2012-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615164312/http://www.sondakika.com/haber-eski-bakan-cahit-aral-son-yolculuguna-ugurlandi-3104232/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | before= Mehmet Turgut | title= Minister of Industry of Commerce | years= 13 December 1983 – 21 December 1987 | after=Şükrü Yürür }} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aral, Cahit}} Category:1927 births Category:2011 deaths Category:People from Elazığ Category:Motherland Party (Turkey) politicians Category:Government ministers of Turkey Category:Deputies of Ankara Category:Deputies of Elazığ Category:Turkish mechanical engineers Category:Istanbul Technical University alumni Category:Burials at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery
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