Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 32 Calling a Deer a Horse: Righteous Reporting Becomes Spreading Rumors and Slander

Xu Youwei asked Qingqing's mother, "Does your family receive welfare benefits?"

Qingqing's mother shook her head: "No, we don't ask around or give gifts, and we wouldn't be eligible for welfare anyway."

Some families in the village own houses and cars in the city and have been granted minimum living allowances.

My family is in such dire straits, and we've sought help from the village and town authorities, but they haven't said it's impossible; they've all said they'll look into it.

Xu Youwei pointed at Qingqing's mother and loudly questioned, "Comrade Huang Ping, please explain to me clearly in front of this mother who has been forced to lock her daughter in an iron cage: Qingqing's family is so poor, why can't they receive subsistence allowance?"

Huang Ping explained, "Secretary Xu, I was not aware of the specific circumstances of this family before. It's possible that the village did not report it in a timely manner, or that the materials were incomplete."

"Is this kind of thing too trivial to be noticed by your town's Party Secretary?" Xu Youwei said angrily. "In your Longqiao Town, are the Party's pro-people policies only available to families with connections and influence?"

Are honest, hardworking people like Qingqing's mother destined to be forgotten in a corner?

Xu Youwei pointed to the rusty iron cage and said, word by word, "Look at this iron cage! It not only locked up a young girl in the prime of her life, but also locked up the conscience of some of our party members and cadres!"

When a mother is forced to protect her daughter in this way while struggling for basic survival, where is the responsibility of our Party committee and government?

Xu Youwei took out his only 1,000 yuan in cash and handed it to Qingqing's mother: "Take this money first to tide you over. Qingqing will be sent to the mental hospital for treatment today, and the expenses will be covered in advance by the special assistance fund."

Wu Zhiyuan also took out five hundred yuan.

Huang Ping also took out 500 yuan and promised, "Secretary Xu, after I return to the town, I will immediately organize a fundraising event and get Qingqing's family approved for the minimum living allowance as soon as possible."

Xu Youwei said in a serious tone: "Comrade Huang Ping, the assessment of low-income assistance in Longqiao Town must be thoroughly investigated. The town's discipline inspection commission should take the lead in establishing a special working group to investigate village by village and household by household, focusing on those who should be eligible but are not, and those who should not be eligible but are being arbitrarily granted assistance."

Any official who abuses the minimum living allowance policy to show favoritism to relatives and friends, or even solicits or accepts bribes, will be investigated and punished without exception!

Xu Youwei instructed Wu Zhiyuan: "Have the Haihe County Discipline Inspection Commission and the County Civil Affairs Bureau follow up and supervise the investigation. After the investigation is completed, submit a written report to me."

Regarding the case of Qingqing's assault, Xu Youwei personally called Cai Aiguo, the secretary of the Haihe County Party Committee, and requested that the Haihe County police open a case for investigation.

Xu Youwei finally breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Qingqing being taken to the mental hospital by car.

Upon hearing that the municipal party secretary had arrived, the villagers all gathered around.

"Secretary Xu, you are a good official who speaks for the people!" an uncle said from the bottom of his heart. "We see Qingqing's suffering, and it pains us deeply, but no one dared to speak up. Today, we've finally been waiting for you!"

Suddenly, an older woman knelt down in front of Xu Youwei with a "thud".

"Secretary Xu, you are an upright and just official! Please, please save my son! I beg you!"

"My son has been detained by the police for several months and is about to be sentenced! He is innocent!" The woman cried bitterly.

Xu Youwei was startled and quickly helped the woman up: "Sister, you mustn't! Let's talk this out!"

As long as your request is reasonable and you are truly wronged, I will definitely help you find out the truth!

Wu Zhiyuan brought over a long wooden bench.

Xu Youwei pulled the older woman to sit down on the bench.

The woman began to sob, “Secretary Xu, my son’s name is Wu Qiang. He used to be a worker at Longqiao Coal Mine, watching the surveillance cameras underground.”

In March of this year, a gas explosion occurred in the coal mine. My son saw it clearly on the surveillance footage; at least a dozen miners were trapped inside…”

From the woman's intermittent narration, Wu Zhiyuan understood.

A gas explosion occurred at Longqiao Coal Mine, but the mine neither reported it nor organized a rescue. The section of the mine tunnel was sealed off, and more than a dozen miners were buried underground forever.

Most of the miners working underground at Longqiao Coal Mine are from other provinces. If an accident happens, they just pay compensation to settle the matter.

Wu Qiang was deeply tormented. He knew that there might be survivors underground, and if they were rescued in time, there was a high probability that several lives could be saved.

Overwhelmed by guilt and sympathy for his deceased coworkers, he could not remain silent.

In extreme pain and anger, he chose to post anonymously on an online forum, attempting to expose the truth about the covered-up mining accident.

However, on the very night he posted the message, Wu Qiang was taken away from his home by the police and subsequently detained and arrested on the well-known catch-all charge: "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." The police accused him of "spreading rumors and seriously disrupting social order."

The old woman was still crying and complaining: "Secretary Xu, you are a just and upright official. After my son was arrested, his fiancée broke off the engagement. We were supposed to get married this National Day."

His father suffered a stroke due to stress and is now bedridden.

I petitioned the authorities multiple times and was detained in a detention center for more than ten days.

They also threatened me, saying that if I continued to petition and cause trouble, they would arrest me and put me in jail.

Wu Zhiyuan knew that the concealment of mine accidents was not unique to Longqiao Coal Mine. In fact, cases of companies or local governments concealing or exaggerating the number of deaths in other accidents were common, not just mine accidents.

For example, a provincial capital city suffered heavy casualties due to flooding, but actually concealed the death toll of over a hundred people.

For Longqiao Coal Mine, if the report is made truthfully and results in significant casualties, not only will the mine have to shut down, but Zhang Wanlin, as the mine owner, will also likely face criminal charges.

Even if they don't face criminal charges, a one-day production stoppage will result in losses of at least several million.

Choosing to conceal the truth only means paying more hush money.

This hush money is insignificant compared to the losses from the work stoppage.

Reporting a mine accident and concealing the facts, only to be arrested by the local government on charges of spreading rumors and causing trouble, is not an invention of Haihe County.

Some netizens have been arrested for allegedly spreading rumors. Whether these rumors are genuine or the local government is distorting the truth, only the individuals involved truly know.

Because once evidence is systematically blocked and altered, it is very difficult for ordinary people to obtain key evidence that can prove the report is true.

This extreme asymmetry between information and power often leaves those who reveal the truth in a predicament where they are "unable to defend themselves."

Like Wu Qiang, even if the allegations are completely true, it is extremely difficult for him to prove his innocence when the other party has the advantage of information.