Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Muqtar Abbas Naqvi, along with several party workers, was on Tuesday arrested at Rampur in Uttar Pradesh as authorities moved to prevent an agitation against the removal of statue of Jansangh leader Deen Dayal Upadhyay.
Naqvi told PTI that he had been taken into custody in the wee hours, just before the satyagraha programme was to begin.
He said the party's agitation could not be foiled and they will attempt to continue the protest.
"The Mulayam Singh government is acting in an undemocratic, unconstitutional and autocratic manner," he alleged.
He said that the programme had been announced well in advance and authorities had given permission for it but suddenly at night decided to prevent it.
The BJP had decided to launch a week-long 'akraman andolan' (aggressive agitation) from Tuesday against removal of the statue and demolition of a square on which it was placed, saying it reflected the "Taliban mindset" of the State government.