Majority sees Manipur situation as ethnic conflict: Survey

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Manipur. The survey, conducted by Pollsters India on the situation in Manipur, has revealed that the majority of respondents (55%) see the situation in Manipur as an ethnic struggle between the Meities and the Kukis. While 29 per cent believe that it is largely a law-and-order issue.

The remaining 16 per cent had no strong feelings about the issue. The survey sought response from 9,679 adult respondents (18+) from 22 states and union territories between July 22 and July 27. The survey delved further into public sentiment by examining perceptions of the state government's response.

Half of the respondents believed that the state government could have taken more proactive measures to manage the situation. In contrast, 34 per cent expressed contentment with the state government's handling of the matter. For the central government, a significant majority of around 57 per cent believed that the Union Government has taken sufficient action to address the Manipur issue.

Only 25 per cent felt that the central government could have done more, while 18 per cent remained undecided on the matter. Surprisingly, the survey also found that the Opposition's criticism of the central government had little effect on respondents. Instead, the majority of them see the matter as a state-level issue and place blame on the state government's alleged mishandling.