Chinese university students sent home amid protests
Beijing (AP): Chinese universities are sending students home as the ruling Communist Party tightens anti-virus controls and tries to prevent more protests after crowds angered by its severe "zero COVID" restrictions called for President Xi Jinping to resign in the biggest show of public dissent in decades.
With police out in force, there was no word of protests Tuesday in Beijing, Shanghai or other major cities.
Some anti-virus restrictions were eased Monday in a possible effort to defuse public anger following the weekend protests in at least eight cities. But the ruling party affirmed its "zero COVID" strategy, which has confined millions of people to their homes in an attempt to isolate every infection.
Tsinghua University, Xi's alma mater, where students protested Sunday, and other schools in Beijing and the southern province of Guangdong said they were protecting students from COVID-19. But dispersing them to far-flung hometowns also reduces the likelihood of more activism following protests at campuses last weekend.
Some universities arranged buses to take students to train stations. They said classes and final exams would be conducted online.
"We will arrange for willing students to return to their hometowns," Beijing Forestry University said on its website. It said its faculty and students all tested negative for the virus.
Authorities have ordered mass testing and imposed other controls in areas across China following a spike in infections. But the move to disperse students was unusual at a time when many cities are telling the public to avoid travel and imposing controls on movement.
In Hong Kong, about 50 students from mainland China protested Monday at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in a show of support for people on the mainland. They lit candles and chanted, "No PCR tests but freedom!" and "Oppose dictatorship, don't be slaves!"
The gathering and a similar one in Hong Kong's business district were the biggest protests in the Chinese territory in more than a year under rules imposed to crush a pro-democracy movement.
"Zero COVID" has helped keep China's case numbers lower than those of the United States and other major countries. But public acceptance has eroded as people in some areas have been confined at home for up to four months and say they lack reliable access to food and medicine.
The Chinese Communist Party promised last month to reduce disruption by changing quarantine and other rules. But a spike in infections has prompted cities to tighten controls, fueling public frustration.
Most protesters complain about excessive restrictions, but some turned their anger at Xi, China's most powerful leader since at least the 1980s. In a video that was verified by The Associated Press, a crowd in Shanghai on Saturday chanted, "Xi Jinping! Step down! CCP! Step down!"
On Monday, the city government of Beijing announced it would no longer set up gates to block access to apartment compounds where infections are found.
It made no mention of a fire last week in Urumqi that killed at least 10 people. That prompted angry questions online about whether firefighters or victims trying to escape were blocked by locked doors or other anti-virus controls.
Urumqi and another city in the Xinjiang region in the northwest announced markets and other businesses in areas deemed at low risk of infection would reopen this week and public bus service would resume. (AP)
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Have no personal involvement in Cong’s action against some minority leaders: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has no personal involvement in action taken against certain Congress leaders from the minority community following allegations of an internal conspiracy during the recently held Davanagere South bypolls.
He clarified that the decisions were taken by the party high command based on available reports.
Asserting that party discipline is of utmost importance, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, sought to downplay concerns that action against minority leaders may send the message that “Muslims are being targeted.”
“I don’t have any personal involvement in this. Whatever decisions are taken are made by the party leadership. The party has its own reports. Decisions regarding MLAs or MLCs cannot be taken at the state level without instructions from Delhi,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, he added, “People may blame me; I am not concerned. Everyone must function in accordance with party discipline.”
Responding to concerns within sections of the party that recent actions may convey the impression that minority leaders are being targeted, he said the Congress exists for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, backward classes, farmers, and all sections of society.
The Congress has suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from primary membership and relieved another MLC, Naseer Ahmed, from the post of Chief Minister’s political secretary.
The action followed allegations by a group of Muslim leaders that certain party members conspired to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action, speculation has emerged that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face disciplinary measures during the next cabinet reshuffle.
The three leaders had reportedly sought a Muslim candidate for the Davanagere South bypoll ticket, which the party instead allotted to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun.
They were also said to have not actively participated in the campaign.
Shivakumar also rejected claims of factionalism within the ruling party amid speculation that leaders close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were being targeted.
Naseer Ahmed and Zameer Ahmed Khan are considered close to the CM.
Rejecting allegations of factionalism within the party, Shivakumar said, “We speak to each other every day. It is the media that creates divisions. Where is my faction? Has anyone put up a board saying they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction? Have I put up any such board?”
“All 139 legislators are my people, and they are all Siddaramaiah’s people as well. Everyone belongs to the Congress,” he added, saying there are no factions within the party and that such claims are media-driven.
Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi met Shivakumar on Friday, a day after expressing concerns that disciplinary action against minority leaders may send the wrong message.
Shivakumar said he discussed with Jarkiholi the need to decongest Bengaluru traffic by diverting vehicles entering the city from state and national highways, along with party-related issues.
“We also discussed political matters in the interest of the party and the need to work together,” he said.
Later, speaking to reporters, Jarkiholi said he discussed with Shivakumar the issue of withdrawing Jabbar’s suspension. He said he will also visit New Delhi next week to meet the high command and discuss state developments.
“Jabbar’s suspension was discussed (with Shivakumar). It should be withdrawn. Let’s issue him a notice and allow him to reply. Then let’s send the report to the high command and seek their approval. High command approval is necessary because the instructions came from there. It may take some time,” he said.
Stating that he met the KPCC chief for “damage control,” the minister said, “We have tried to convince him. Sometimes certain decisions happen that need rectification.”
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