The first vehicle convoy flagged off in Ipoh at about 10.30am before several other such groups from other parts of Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor followed suit. The HRP comprises mainly former members of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Party (Hindraf).
The members were arrested at roadblocks mounted by police at various spots several hours before the convoys began their journey.
A spokesman at the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters media centre said the highest number of members detained were in Negri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur.
He said as at 5pm, 27 were arrested in Negri Sembilan, 21 in Kuala Lumpur, six in Perak and five in Selangor.
The HRP headquarters in Bangsar here was also under close watch by police who detained several members when they arrived in their cars after the convoy.
HRP pro-tem secretary-general P.Uthayakumar when contacted told theSun that among those arrested was HRP information chief S.Jayathas who was nabbed with three others at a roadblock by Gombak police on Jalan Templer, Rawang.
"Despite the arrests we will lodge police reports against the prime minister, attorney-general and inspector-general of police for their inaction against racism and the seditious content in the Interlok novel which has hurt Indians in the country," he said.
He said among those detained were nine women and four children.
It is learnt that police are expected to release by early tomorrow all those detained after recording their statements.
Certain parts of Interlok which will be used as a textbook for Form Five students had touched on the Indian caste system. This had caused an uproar among Malaysian Indians who have called for the book to be banned.
The government has since said the offensive words would be removed but the book will continue to be used in schools.
The HRP has also planned a mass protest on Feb 27 in the vicinity of KLCC.
