‘Jimmy, Jimmy’ by Bappi Lahiri becomes new anthem in China to oppose Covid lockdowns

Millions of Chinese people who have been subjected to the feared lockdowns have turned to Hindi film legend Bappi Lahiri’s smash hit song “Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja” from the 1982 film “Disco Dancer” to vent their rage and aggravation over the strict zero-COVID policy of their nation.

In the Chinese social media platforms Douyin, which is the Chinese name for TikTok, people in the videos mockingly show empty vessels to show how they are deprived of necessary food items during the lockdowns. The song, which was written by Lahiri and sung by Parvati Khan, is sung in Mandarin as “Jie mi, jie mi,” which translates to “Give me rice, give me rice.”

The video has so far managed to escape Chinese censors that are quick to remove any post deemed critical of the country’s regime.

According to observers, Chinese have developed a clever method of employing “Jie mi, jie mi” to stage subdued protests in an effort to draw attention to the public’s suffering caused by the zero-COVID policy, which has effectively walled off China from the outside world.

Zero-COVID policy has ensnared China and put dozens of cities, including Shanghai, which has a population of over 25 million, on lockdown for weeks with residents confined to their apartments.

Scores of videos have surfaced in which security officials can be seen severely cracking down on people protesting the lockdowns.

Following a virus outbreak and allegations of unsafe working conditions, workers hired to assemble Apple Inc.’s newest iPhone staged a walkout from a facility in central China’s Zhengzhou.

According to reports, employees began leaving the Foxconn factory after several of them became unwell in the middle of October but received no medical attention.

China reported 2,675 cases on Sunday. 

In accordance with President Xi Jinping’s zero-COVID policy, cities and communities are required to implement rigorous lockdowns, and if any confirmed cases are recorded, local residents are sent to quarantine facilities.

Beijing is one of the several places where testing is required for all citizens. In urban areas, people are prohibited from entering marketplaces and restaurants without positive test results.