West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, who was arrested while he was on his way to violence-hit Howrah district, has been released four hours after his arrest on Saturday.
Majumdar, the MP of Balurghat in Uttar Dinajpur, was arrested near the toll plaza on Vidyasagar Setu, police 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 news agency PTI.
After his release, Majumdar slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violence in the state amid protests over controversial remarks by suspended BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal on Prophet Mohammad.
"State govt can't assure security to the people of Bengal, they're shutting down internet. CM said that she used to control goons, now it seems like goons are controlling her. We'll go to see our (vandalised) party office after discussion with party," said Majumdar.
Earlier in the day, Majumdar said the situation in West Bengal was fast-turning into that in Kashmir.
"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 said.
Following Majumdar's arrest, BJP leaders and workers had 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 also took place in Uttar Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Birbhum and Jalpaiguri districts.
The Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, lauded the police action against Majumdar, alleging that he was going to Howrah to fan communal tensions. "Police did the right thing by stopping him," TMC MLA Tapas Ray said.
(With PTI inputs)
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