Beijing: The trial of an 80-year-old man in China for killing a doctor during Mao Zedong-led `Cultural Revolution` has triggered strong reactions among public, with some demanding the trial of ruling CPC leaders too for starting the movement in which millions lost their lives.
The man, identified as Qiu from Zhejiang, is facing trial this week at his home for allegedly killing a doctor during China`s decade-long violent Cultural Revolution, Chinanews.Com reported today.
He was accused of killing a doctor surnamed Hong, who was suspected of being a "espionage agent".
Qiu said he was "selected" by a group of armed and fanatical civilian comrades to kill Hong.
He strangled Hong to death with a piece of rope and broke his legs before burying him in the ground, the report said.
Qiu was arrested in July last year, the report added.
The story sparked heated discussion on Sina Weibo, China`s twitter-like service.
"What about those big names who started the Cultural Revolution?" said one netizen.
"How come they never took any responsibility?... "How about the thousands of other murderers?" asked another blogger.
"The murderers and those who died are all victims of the Cultural Revolution," wrote another netizen, the Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported.
The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which brought great suffering and death to millions of Chinese, still remains a sensitive topic in China.
Deng Xiaoping, who succeeded Mao ended the hard-line Maoist ideology.
Leaders who succeeded Deng criticised Cultural Revolution for amount of death and destruction it had caused.
PTI
