China removes 2.10 lakh online posts shuts down 42 websites

China has removed 2.10 lakh online posts and shut down 42 websites as part of a massive crackdown on the country's 300 million-strong microbloggers following coup rumours as a major political scandal rocked the nation. 

An announcement to this effect in state-run media today comes close on the heels of the nation's biggest political crisis after a top leader was sacked from the Communist Party and his wife detained on suspicion of murder. 

"Actions of creating and spreading rumours via the Internet disrupt public order and undermine social stability, and will never be tolerated," Liu Zhengrong, a senior official with the State Internet Information Office ( SIIO), said. 

Such behaviour will be handled seriously and rumourmongers held accountable in accordance with the law, he said, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. 

To stop rumours from being disseminated via microblogging service websites, Liu said both government agencies and the internet service providers should play an appropriate role, while Internet users themselves should remain vigilant against rumours and report them to the authorities in a timely manner. 

The crackdown intensified since last month after rumours floated on the microblog media about an impending coup with post-dated pictures of army tanks moving on the streets of Beijing speculating a factional fighting with the ruling Communist Party. 

Following this, two major Chinese microblogging sites, weibo.com and t.qq.com, known as Chinese Twitters with about 300 million microbloggers subscribers, suspended comment functions from March 31 to April 3 as punishment. 

Also they have been told to increase supervision of the content and initiate legal proceedings against the rumour- mongers. 

The speculation went viral with the rumours of infighting in the party leadership following action against Bo Xilai, a hardline leader who became famous with his crackdown on mafia in Chongqing city. He was sacked from the party two days ago for indiscipline, and his wife and an orderly held for alleged role in murder of a British national. 

References to his name on the microblogs were reportedly blocked by firewalls.