SIR 'Riot' Threat: Mamata's Warning Sparks Political Firestorm

How far can the opposition to the SIR being carried out by the Election Commission go? When it was implemented in Bihar, almost all opposition parties challenged the electoral roll revision in court. But could that opposition now move from the courts to the streets?

That question is being asked today because of what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said. Reacting to a series of meetings started by poll officials in her state to check readiness for the SIR rollout, Mamata warned the Election Commission and the Centre against "playing with fire."

An angry Chief Minister even went so far as to say that if the poll panel pushes ahead with its SIR plan, it could lead to riots and "other things" in West Bengal.

This isn't the first time the TMC has declared it will fight the SIR tooth and nail. But this time, it goes beyond opposition. Earlier, the Chief Minister had warned state officials against kowtowing to the Election Commission's orders - and now comes an apparent hint at possible violence.

That's why a furious BJP today complained to the Election Commission, demanding that an FIR be registered against Mamata Banerjee for threats and intimidation.