State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh and Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari were arrested on charges of violating Covid-19 protocol while staging a demonstration here on Monday to protest against the detention of party functionaries and workers during “Save Bengal Day” event earlier in the day.

A few BJP leaders, including Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan and Shilbhadra Dutta, and party workers had gathered at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Calcutta to march to the Raj Bhavan as part of their programme to observe “Save Bengal Day”. However, the leaders were taken into custody on charges of violating pandemic protocol.

Angry with the detention of Khan and Dutta, the state BJP chief, along with Adhikari and former Union minister Debasree Chaudhuri, sat on a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on Mayo Road. The police asked them to lift the agitation because of existing Covid protocol and when the leaders refused to oblige, they were arrested and taken to Lalbazar.

Accusing the police of bias, BJP leaders said while Trinamul Congress workers were allowed to organise ‘Khela Hobey Day’ across the state, the same rule was not applicable for Opposition parties.

According to the BJP, 150 party leaders and workers were arrested from various parts of Calcutta on Monday. They all were later released on bail.

After his release, Adhikari accompanied BJP’s Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh to meet party worker Sajal Ghosh who had been arrested last week by the police on charges of assaulting a man with deadly weapons and committing theft. He was released on bail on Monday.

BJP’s ‘Save Bengal Day’ was held on the day which the state government celebrated as ‘Khela Hobey Day’ in all blocks and wards across Bengal.

On July 21, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had declared that August 16 would be observed as ‘Khela Hobey Day’ in the state. To celebrate the occasion, the government distributed footballs to a large number of clubs and sports organisations, while the Trinamul Congress organised soccer matches at several places in the state.

Trinamul claimed the event was observed in 12 states, including Tripura.