KOLKATA: BJP's West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar was arrested on Saturday afternoon when he was on the way to violence-hit Howrah district, police said.
Majumdar, the MP of Balurghat in Uttar Dinajpur, was arrested near the toll plaza on Vidyasagar Setu, they said.
"Mr Majumdar was trying to travel to Howrah where prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped. His visit could have created a law and order situation. This is a preventive arrest," a senior police officer told PTI.
Majumdar said the situation in West Bengal was fast-turning into that in Kashmir.
"First, they stopped me at my home. I was put under house arrest. Later, they allowed me to leave my residence. Now, they have stopped me on Vidyasagar Setu and arrested me. The police are saying that as prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed, no one will be allowed to visit the area," he told reporters before being taken into custody.
"We used to read news about leaders in Kashmir being put under house arrest. Today, a similar thing happened here. The state is fast turning into Kashmir," he added.
Following Majumdar's arrest, BJP leaders and workers hit the streets in protest.
BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul along with hundreds of party workers rushed to Lalbazar, the headquarters of Kolkata Police, to protest against the arrest.
Similar protests were also underway in Uttar Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Birbhum and Jalpaiguri districts.
The Trinamool Congress lauded the police action against Majumdar, alleging that he was going to trouble-torn Howrah to fan communal tensions.
"Police did the right thing by stopping him," TMC MLA Tapas Ray said.
Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim demanded the arrest of now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma whose inflammatory remarks on Prophet Mohammad sparked the violence in Howrah on Friday.
"She should be arrested immediately. BJP is trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the country," he said.
BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh, however, managed to enter Howrah and visit the areas where offices of his party were attacked.
"The lawless situation here reflects the administration's failure," Ghosh said.
Internet services have been suspended across Howrah till June 13 and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC imposed in areas such as Uluberia, Domjur and Panchla, following the violence.
Fresh violence was reported in Panchla Bazaar area on Saturday as protesters clashed with the police and several houses were set on fire, a senior officer said.
Protesters pelted policemen with stones, injuring some of them, and also vandalised a BJP party office.
Several fire tenders were pressed into service as police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, the officer said, adding the situation was "under control" at the moment.
"The agitators have been dispersed. Some policemen have been injured in the stone-pelting. We are conducting a route march in the area. The situation is under control," he said.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday expressed concern over the "worsening law and order" situation in the state, following protests in several parts of Howrah district.
He asked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to deal sternly with the problem and take action against lawbreakers.
"Concerned at worsening law & order situation. Inaction @chief_west@WBPolice @KolkataPolice is unfortunate endorsement of the criminality of law violators. Appeal #MamataBanerjee to sternly deal with lawbreakers. All involved be identified and arrested," Dhankhar wrote on Twitter.
The situation in Howrah, which witnessed violent protests against controversial remarks of suspended BJP spokespersons, was peaceful on Saturday morning, officials said.
Protesters clashed with police personnel in Dhulagarh, Panchla and Uluberia areas when law enforcers tried to end a blockade on a national highway stretch on Friday.
They set police vehicles on fire and damaged public property during the agitations.
Internet services have been suspended across the district till June 13 and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC imposed in several areas such as Uluberia, Domjur and Panchla till June 15.
Commuters had to face problems as road and railway tracks were blocked by protesters in the district.
Several local and express trains were cancelled due to the violence.