perplexed
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BEIJING: Thousands of people took to streets and clashed with police to protest the ruling Communist Party's move to remove popular leader Bo Xilai from its politburo and charge his wife with murdering a British citizen in China's southwestern city of Chongqing on Wednesday.
But local officials maintained that Chongqing residents were protesting "over a different issue'' without specifying what that was.
The British government had been pushing for a thorough probe into Neil Heywood's suspicious death. Heywood was found dead in a Chongqing hotel room last November. The matter was initially closed as the local police concluded that it was a case of a normal death. But it was reopened and Bo's wife, Bogu Kailai, charged was on Tuesday after his removal as Chongqing city chief sparked rumours of dissent and power struggle within the Communist party. Experts said the murder charge has come handy for the ruling party that was trying hard to ward off its worst crisis following Bo's removal as Chongqing chief. Bo, known as a Maoist leader, had been tipped to become a member of the party's Standing Committee.
Experts said Bo's sacking marks a turning point in Chinese politics and shows that the party is unwilling to tolerate effort to revive Mao's legacy . Bo had led a campaign to revive the legacy and carried out raids against what he saw as ill-effects of economic reforms like gambling and prostitution . Bo's campaign that included replacing TV advertisements with pro-Mao songs was seen as veiled criticism of party's pro-reform activities.
"The latest move shows president Hu Jintao's regime will be replaced by a more harsh rule that will curb any sign of dissent with an iron hand," a Beijing-based diplomat said. The controversy over Bo began when Chongqing vice mayor Wang Lijun sought refuse in the US consulate and spent a night there. It now transpires that Wang was trying to protect himself from Bo's ire because he had tried to reopen Heywood's murder case involving Bogu. This had led to Bo's removal as the Chongqing city chief.
Senior leader on trial over graft charges
BEIJING: Hours after sacking a top rung leader of the party for violation of discipline and charging his wife with murder of a British citizen, the ruling Communist Party of China put on trial another senior provincial leader for corruption. Song Chenguang, former senior political advisor of China's Jiangxi province , went on trial in Shandong province on Wednesday over bribery charges.
Song, former vice-chairman of the Provincial Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is accused of taking $2million as bribes in 1998-2010 for offering 18 companies and individuals "conveniences" in contracts.
--PTI
Bo’s ouster sparks protests in China - The Times of India
But local officials maintained that Chongqing residents were protesting "over a different issue'' without specifying what that was.
The British government had been pushing for a thorough probe into Neil Heywood's suspicious death. Heywood was found dead in a Chongqing hotel room last November. The matter was initially closed as the local police concluded that it was a case of a normal death. But it was reopened and Bo's wife, Bogu Kailai, charged was on Tuesday after his removal as Chongqing city chief sparked rumours of dissent and power struggle within the Communist party. Experts said the murder charge has come handy for the ruling party that was trying hard to ward off its worst crisis following Bo's removal as Chongqing chief. Bo, known as a Maoist leader, had been tipped to become a member of the party's Standing Committee.
Experts said Bo's sacking marks a turning point in Chinese politics and shows that the party is unwilling to tolerate effort to revive Mao's legacy . Bo had led a campaign to revive the legacy and carried out raids against what he saw as ill-effects of economic reforms like gambling and prostitution . Bo's campaign that included replacing TV advertisements with pro-Mao songs was seen as veiled criticism of party's pro-reform activities.
"The latest move shows president Hu Jintao's regime will be replaced by a more harsh rule that will curb any sign of dissent with an iron hand," a Beijing-based diplomat said. The controversy over Bo began when Chongqing vice mayor Wang Lijun sought refuse in the US consulate and spent a night there. It now transpires that Wang was trying to protect himself from Bo's ire because he had tried to reopen Heywood's murder case involving Bogu. This had led to Bo's removal as the Chongqing city chief.
Senior leader on trial over graft charges
BEIJING: Hours after sacking a top rung leader of the party for violation of discipline and charging his wife with murder of a British citizen, the ruling Communist Party of China put on trial another senior provincial leader for corruption. Song Chenguang, former senior political advisor of China's Jiangxi province , went on trial in Shandong province on Wednesday over bribery charges.
Song, former vice-chairman of the Provincial Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is accused of taking $2million as bribes in 1998-2010 for offering 18 companies and individuals "conveniences" in contracts.
--PTI
Bo’s ouster sparks protests in China - The Times of India
Setting police cars on fire to protest against district merger, doesn't sound very reasonable, not for a country like China, where things are usually a lot more disciplined.
