New Delhi

Millions of Chinese have turned to a popular Bollywood song from the 1980s to voice their frustration at Beijing’s draconian zero-Covid policy.

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“Jimmy, Jimmy, Aaja Aaja”, a hit Hindi song from the 1982 film 'Disco Dancer' is being widely used by the people on short video app Douyin —the Chinese name for TikTok—to mock the regime.

The 'Jimmy, Jimmy' song—composed by the late Bappi Lahiri and sung by Parvati Khan—is sung in Mandarin "Jie mi, jie mi", which translates into "Give me rice, give me rice", highlighting how people have been unable to purchase even essential items during the lockdown. The Hindi song is itself inspired by Ottawan’s 'T’es OK, T’es Bath.'

In the social media videos, users are shown wearing a “bindi” and makeshift saree—a traditional attire of Indian women—and carrying an empty vessel while dancing and lip-syncing to the popular Hindi song.

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Surprisingly, the act has managed to avert the watchful gaze of Chinese censors who are quick to take down anything that they perceive to be critical of President Xi Jinping and his policies.

Also read | 50 countries at UN condemn China for Xinjiang human rights violations

The zero-Covid strategy, which is a combination of lockdowns, vaccinations and contact tracing, is being used by the local governments to clamp down on sporadic outbreaks.

The strict policy has left the public fuming due to restrictions on freedom of movement, food shortages and lack of access to essential medical services.

Also read | China's Xi asks communist Vietnam to 'never let anyone interfere'

Recently, people working at Apple's iPhone manufacturing facility in Zhengzhou city in central Henan province were seen deserting the place en masse after the authorities imposed strict lockdown in wake of rising Covid cases.

Visuals shared on Twitter showed people walking on the streets with luggage on their shoulders, seemingly in the absence of public transportation.

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According to local reports, the mass exodus was triggered by a lack of food supplies inside the Foxconn factory.

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