▁The ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Relig ious ▁Affairs ▁an ▁official ▁state ▁institution ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁under ▁article ▁ 1 3 6 . ▁As ▁specified ▁by ▁law , ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁the ▁Di yan et ▁are ▁“ to ▁execute ▁the ▁works ▁concerning ▁the ▁belief s , ▁worship , ▁and ▁eth ics ▁of ▁Islam , ▁en light en ▁the ▁public ▁about ▁their ▁religion , ▁and ▁admin ister ▁the ▁sacred ▁worship ing ▁places ”. ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Relig ious ▁Affairs ▁exerc ised ▁state ▁o vers ight ▁over ▁religious ▁affairs ▁and ▁ens uring ▁that ▁religion ▁( people , ▁groups ▁that ▁use ▁religion ) ▁did ▁not ▁challenge ▁the ▁Republic ' s ▁" sec ular ▁identity ". ▁ ▁Public ▁administration ▁ ▁New ▁capital ▁ ▁The ▁reform ▁movement ▁turned ▁its ▁back ▁on ▁the ▁perce ived ▁cor ruption ▁and ▁dec ad ence ▁of ▁cosm opol itan ▁Ist an bul ▁and ▁its ▁Ott oman ▁her itage , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁elect ing ▁to ▁choose ▁a ▁capital ▁more ▁ge ograph ically ▁centered ▁in ▁Turkey . ▁During ▁the ▁dis astr ous ▁ 1 9 1 2 – 1 3 ▁First ▁B alk an ▁War , ▁Bulgar ian ▁troops ▁had ▁advanced ▁to ▁ Ç atal ca , ▁mere ▁miles ▁from ▁Ist an bul , ▁creating ▁a ▁fear ▁that ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁capital ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁moved ▁to ▁An atol ia ; ▁the ▁reform ▁movement ▁wanted ▁to ▁avoid ▁a ▁similar ▁incident ▁with ▁Turkey . ▁ ▁The ▁country ' s ▁new ▁capital ▁was ▁set ▁in ▁An k ara ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁October