Chinese professor sacked after criticising Mao online
BEIJING: A Chinese professor has been sacked after he criticised Chairman Mao Zedong on his 123rd birthday in an commentary he posted online that enraged leftists.
Mao, who died on Dec 9, 1976, is still officially venerated by the ruling Communist Party as the founder of modern China and his face appears on every yuan banknote.
But he is particularly respected by leftists who believe the country has become too capitalist and unequal over three decades of market- based reforms, and attitudes towards Mao and his legacy mirror differences between reformers and traditionalists.
Deng Xiaochao, 62, an art professor at Shandong Jianzhu University in central China, posted a commentary on his Weibo social media site, dated Dec. 26, Mao’s birthday, suggesting Mao was responsible for a famine that led to 3 million deaths and the Cultural Revolution in which 2 million died.
The post was deleted but an image of it has been shared online and seen by Reuters.
Such public criticism of is rare in China and Mao’s supporters took to the streets to protest against Deng shortly after he made the comments.
Some held banners saying “Whoever opposes Mao is an enemy of the people”, according to videos and photos widely shared on Weibo.
The state- owned tabloid the Global Times reported late on Monday that Deng was dismissed from his post as counsellor of the provincial government last Thursday, while the university’s party committee posted a statement saying Deng would no longer teach or be allowed to organise social events on campus.
The Global Times did not give a reason for Deng’s dismissal.
The Shandong government said on its website Deng had been dismissed for breaking provincial and national rules on government work, without providing details, and that local discipline bodies had been informed. — Reuters