(Photo: Reuters) 

Chinese netizens were up in arms against video streaming service iQiyi Inc on Monday after it was found discriminating against people from central China's Henan Province. 

The company fired an employee who wrote an e-mail suggesting that job seekers from Henan Province be not considered. 

"iQiyi is against any kind of regional discrimination and discrimination in recruitment," the platform replied.

An online screenshot showed that the employee wrote a private e-mail after interviewing a student of Central University of Finance and Economics which said: "Please filter people from Henan Province." 

The company's statement, however, did not cool down tempers. Many vowed to uninstall the platform's mobile application with those from Henan lodging a serious protest against the parochial  message. Many uploaded screenshots of them uninstalling the application online. 

Henan, China's most populous province, has been struggling with stereotypes for a long time with many labeling it the "cradle of liars."  

This is not the first time Henan is under glare during a recruitment process. In 2017, Meituan, an online catering service platform, also triggered a public outcry when one of its employees required applicants to be none from "Huangfan region and Northeast China." Huangfan region historically refers to an area which mainly covers places in Central China's Henan, East China's Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, which used to be affected by flooding of the Yellow River.