By Harmeet Shah Singh, CNN

updated 12:23 PM EDT, Mon August 13, 2012

Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev smiles after climbing the roof of a car to address his followers before attempting a march to parliament in New Delhi on August 13, 2012.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi (CNN) -- Police briefly detained famed Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Monday after he tried to lead an anti-corruption march toward the national parliament building, a police spokesman said.

"Remove Congress and save the country," the yoga guru said to thousands of supporters before officers took him into custody, referring to the ruling Congress Party.

The saffron-clad yoga teacher, whose televised breathing exercises are watched by millions, has been staging a demonstration since last week to demand repatriation of what he calls "black money," or illegal Indian wealth in foreign banks.

He also favors the creation of a strong anti-corruption watchdog agency to deal with endemic graft in the country, echoing a key demand raised by another veteran activist, Anna Hazare, whose hunger strikes last year galvanized huge public support.

Ramdev was released shortly after police took him into custody, New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said Monday. An unspecified number of Ramdev's supporters who had been taken into custody also were released, Bhagat said.

There were no reports of disorder during Monday's demonstration, Bhagat said.

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Yoga guru detained during protest