Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 27 Chaos in Funeral Reform, the Municipal Party Secretary is Enraged

Mayor Yao glared at Xu Youwei and asked sternly, "Who are you?"

Xu Youwei said coldly, "Who I am is not important! What is important is that the implementation of policies must not deviate from the original intention, and even less should it hurt the feelings of the families of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country!"

You keep saying the whole county is a unified entity, so let me ask you, what rule in which game is it that 'the ancestral graves of deputy-department-level officials can be left unattended'?

Mayor Yao was furious: "What deputy-department-level ancestral grave? What nonsense! Who exactly are you? This is obstructing law enforcement! Do you believe I'll arrest you too?"

Wu Zhiyuan stepped forward and questioned Mayor Yao: "Sir, you keep saying you're enforcing the law, but what's the basis for your enforcement?"

Mayor Yao was momentarily speechless, but quickly regained his composure: "The basis? The official documents from the county party committee and county government are the basis!"

Mayor Ai's instructions are the basis! Who do you think you are to dare question the decisions of your superiors?

Mayor Yao waved his hand and said to the police officers, "These two guys are obstructing law enforcement. Take them to the station in custody!"

He then told the grave-leveling team members, "Enforce the order! Anyone who obstructs will be arrested!"

Wu Zhiyuan knew all too well the working style of the township governments in Haihe County.

In situations involving demolition and relocation, they either hire thugs to use force, threats, intimidation, or even physical assault.

They either use police force at the drop of a hat, or arrest anyone who doesn't obey.

They are neither good at nor willing to do grassroots work.

Several police officers stepped forward to take Xu Youwei and Wu Zhiyuan away.

At this point, if they didn't reveal their identities, it would be awkward if Xu Youwei were taken away!

Wu Zhiyuan coldly said to Mayor Yao, "You knowingly break the law, use excessive force, and abuse police power. Secretary Xu of the Municipal Party Committee said a few fair words, and you're arresting people? Do you really think Jinqiao Town is an independent kingdom?"

The police officers were stunned and dared not make an arrest. Mayor Yao was taken aback at first, then sneered, "Secretary Xu of the Municipal Party Committee? Him? I think you've gone crazy obstructing law enforcement. You even dare to impersonate a municipal leader?"

I'm telling you, even if city leaders really come today, they still have to abide by the rules set by the county party committee and county government!

Faced with Mayor Yao's arrogance, Xu Youwei stepped forward, his piercing gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Mayor Yao's face: "I am Xu Youwei, the Party Secretary of Longcheng City! Now, tell me, what law does Jinqiao Town enforce that even the Party Secretary of the City is being taken away?"

A police officer pulled out a news photo from his phone and handed it to Mayor Yao.

Mayor Yao stared at the photo, his face ashen, his legs trembling uncontrollably. His earlier arrogance and conceit had vanished without a trace, replaced by a deep-seated panic.

"Secretary Xu, I, I..." Mayor Yao stammered, "It's a misunderstanding, I didn't know you, you're the municipal party secretary, I'm so sorry for offending you..."

Mayor Yao roared at the grave-leveling team members: "Get back! All of you get back! Turn off the excavation equipment!"

The roar of the excavator came to an abrupt halt, and an eerie silence fell over the scene.

Xu Youwei stopped looking at the ashen-faced Mayor Yao, turned to face the indignant villagers, and said loudly, "Fellow villagers, I am Xu Youwei, the Party Secretary of Longcheng City! I passed by here today and saw and heard it with my own eyes and ears!"

Our work has deviated seriously, hurting everyone's feelings. On behalf of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, I sincerely apologize to everyone!

He walked up to the old woman who was still protecting the tombstone, bent down, and helped her up with both hands: "Grandma, I'm sorry! I've startled you and upset the martyr!"

I assure you, this grave will not be leveled today, and it will never be leveled in the future!

Martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country are heroes of the nation, and their spirits deserve peace and respect!

Any act that uses the guise of "changing customs and traditions" to harm the dignity of martyrs is absolutely unacceptable!

Xu Youwei then turned to Wu Zhiyuan and said, "Zhiyuan, notify the main leaders of the Haihe County Party Committee and County Government to come here. Consider it an on-site corrective meeting!"

When the crowd learned that it was the municipal party secretary passing by, they all gathered around and started complaining about the various problems with the funeral reform in Haihe County.

"Secretary Xu, you must stand up for us! The town and village officials are acting recklessly; they've already forcibly demolished many graves and arrested several people!"

"They say leveling graves will increase arable land, but it hasn't increased it at all. Most of the graves are on barren slopes. Now, every village is building a public cemetery, and that's really taking up arable land!"

"Now that mandatory cremation is being implemented, some people who die are buried in the mountains, then dug up and sent to the crematorium!"

"Starting May 1st, cremation will be implemented 100%. Some elderly people are superstitious and do not want to be cremated, so they commit suicide. Three people died in our village: one drowned himself in the river, one hanged himself, and one drank pesticide."

"Saying that cremation saves money is not true at all! All the costs added up are much higher than burial!"

Putting everything else aside, an urn alone costs several thousand yuan! And burial in a cemetery costs several thousand, even tens of thousands of yuan!

"The county and town governments are even practicing guilt by association. If relatives don't level the graves, teachers will be suspended from teaching, officials will be suspended from their duties, and they will be punished!"

"What's most infuriating is that the ancestral graves of officials aren't leveled, but the graves of ordinary people like us are! What kind of logic is that?!"

"The town even threatened to cancel the minimum living allowance for anyone who didn't level the graves! This is not how a government should operate!"

Wu Zhiyuan carefully recorded the complaints from the public.

Xu Youwei said with a solemn expression: "Fellow villagers, the general direction of funeral reform is to save land and change customs, which is correct."

However, reform must never come at the cost of hurting the feelings of the people or violating policies and laws!

County Party Secretary Cai Aiguo and County Head Zhang Hongbin have arrived.

"Secretary Xu, we haven't done our job well and have caused you trouble. We sincerely apologize!" Cai Aiguo stepped forward and quickly expressed his apology.

Xu Youwei scanned the dense crowd and said bluntly, "Comrade Aiguo, Comrade Hongbin, is this the funeral reform you are promoting in Haihe County?"

Is this the answer sheet you've given to the municipal party committee and the people?

If I hadn't seen and heard it with my own eyes today, I simply wouldn't have believed that such a blatant trampling of public opinion, such serious hurt to the feelings of the people, and even such a death could occur!

Cai Aiguo repeatedly explained, "Secretary Xu, we didn't do our work carefully enough, and our methods were too simplistic and crude. We deeply regret this..."

"A self-criticism? Is a self-criticism enough?" Xu Youwei interrupted him, raising his voice, "Listen to this! The people's complaints are more real and more jarring than any report!"

"They level the graves of ordinary people, but not the ancestral graves of officials?"

"If the graves are not leveled, the minimum living allowance will be cancelled?"

"Teachers suspended from classes and officials suspended due to collateral damage"?

There are even elderly people who commit suicide because they are afraid of being cremated!

Patriotic comrade, tell me, whose law is this?

Which of our policies does this align with? Does it conform in the slightest to our Party's principle of serving the people wholeheartedly?

Xu Youwei, still furious, retorted: "And what 'deputy division-level ancestral graves'?!"

Explain to me which meeting of your county party committee and county government made this decision? Which official document stipulates it? Show it to me!

Everyone is equal before the law, but when it comes to your Haihe County, when it comes to enforcement at the grassroots level, it becomes a case of the higher-ranking official crushing the lower-ranking, even ancestral graves are divided into different classes?

This is a serious case of privilege and a blatant trampling on fairness and justice!