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Salt Satyagraha Movement: Dandi March, Civil Disobedience & Struggle for Freedom

Dandi March: Salt Satyagraha Movement Ignites Civil Disobedience Movement #

The Civil Disobedience Movement got its start with Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March. In March 1930, Gandhi set out on foot from Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Ashram with 78 other Ashram members for Dandi, a village on India’s western seacoast in Gujarat.

On April 6, 1930, they arrived in Dandi, where Gandhi violated the Salt Law. It was illegal to manufacture salt in India because it was a British government monopoly. The Salt Satyagraha Movement helped to popularize the Civil Disobedience Movement, and the Salt Satyagraha Movement symbolized people’s opposition to British government policies.

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Gandhi’s Decision: Sparking Civil Disobedience & Salt Satyagraha Movement #

  • Gandhi unexpectedly quit the Non-Cooperation Movement following the Chauri Chaura incident in February 1922. As a result, several Congress leaders were demoralized, resulting in a sharp decline in the national movement.
  • The ‘No Changer’ movement remained dispersed and disconnected from political developments. In villages, the No Changer group emphasized Gandhian Constructive Work.
  • Furthermore, widespread communal riots erupted in the mid-1920s as a result of the dissolution of Hindu-Muslim unity during the Non-Cooperation Khilafat period.
  • Even though Hindu-Muslim unity was never restored, there were many signs of anti-imperialist growth from 1928 onwards.
  • The Lahore Congress of 1929 authorized the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to launch a civil disobedience campaign, including tax evasion. The CWC also granted Gandhi full authority to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement at a time and location of his choosing in 1930, at Sabarmati Ashram. These were some of the main reasons for the Civil Disobedience Movement.

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Dandi March: Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha Movement Ignites Change #

The Dandi March, also known as the Salt March, was an act of Gandhi’s nonviolent Civil Disobedience Movement. Dandi Salt Satyagraha Movement is another name for it. On March 12, 1930, Gandhi launched the movement from his Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi Beach, a coastal town on the Arabian Sea.

  • He was accompanied by 78 of his selected followers.
  • Gandhi and his followers broke the law by manufacturing sea salt.
  • The historic Dandi March sparked India’s Civil Disobedience Movement.
  • It all began on March 12, 1930, with Gandhi breaking the salt law by picking up a lump of salt at Dandi on April 6, 1930.

Salt Satyagraha Movement: Gandhi’s Fight Against Salt Tax Monopoly #

Jawaharlal Nehru was elected President of the Congress Session in Lahore in 1929. During this session of Congress, a resolution declaring India’s goal of complete independence was passed. India sought complete independence.

Indians were excited, and they looked to Gandhi to carry the torch. The Salt Satyagraha Movement was founded by Gandhi. The Civil Disobedience Movement began with a violation of the salt law.

  • The government put an excise tax on salt, which brought in enormous amounts for the treasury.
  • The government controlled the salt manufacturing industry.
  • The India Salt Act of 1882 granted the government a monopoly on salt collection and manufacturing.
  • Salt taxes would be challenged, and salt laws would be broken.

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Why Was the Salt Satyagraha Movement Chosen? #

  • Inhuman Poll Tax: Salt was chosen as a central theme for the Civil Disobedience Movement because Gandhi believed it to be an “inhuman poll tax” imposed on the rural poor, sick, and helpless by the government.  
  • Common Grievance Of All: It linked the ideal of swaraj with a common grievance of the poor and offered a small but psychologically important income through self-help.  
  • Symbol of Solidarity: It also offered urban citizens a symbol of solidarity with the suffering masses.

Gandhi’s Demands: Key Goals of Civil Disobedience Movement #

Gandhi attempted to compromise one last time before launching the Salt Satyagraha Movement, also known as the Civil Disobedience Movement. He presented his ‘eleven points’ of administrative reform and stated that there would be no need for agitation if Lord Irwin accepted them. The following were the demands:

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  1. The British government should declare their intention to grant complete independence to India.
  2. The immediate release of all political prisoners, including Bhagat Singh and his associates.
  3. Abolition of the salt tax.
  4. Abolition of all laws that restrict the freedom of speech, association, and assembly.
  5. The removal of the ban on the civil disobedience movement.
  6. The removal of all restrictions on the peasants, including restrictions on the use of forest produce.
  7. The repeal of the trade and commerce laws that affect the livelihood of the people.
  8. The abolition of the feudal land revenue system.
  9. The withdrawal of all army and police forces from the countryside.
  10. Reduction of military expenditure and military presence in India.
  11. The provision of adequate representation of the Indian people in the legislative councils, both at the centre and in the provinces.

Impact of Civil Disobedience: Economy & Wide Social Participation #

  • Impact on Economy: The Civil Disobedience Movement had a significant impact on the economy, with a decline in imports of foreign goods and a loss of government income from liquor, excise and land revenue.  
  • Widespread Participation in Movement: The movement saw widespread participation from various sections of the population, including women, students, and youth, who played a prominent role in picketing outside liquor shops, opium dens and shops selling foreign cloth.  
  • Muslim Participation: Muslim participation was limited due to appeals from Muslim leaders and government encouragement of communal dissension, but some areas still saw overwhelming participation.  
  • Other Class Participation In the Movement: Traders, petty traders, tribals, workers and peasants were also active participants in the movement.

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Government Response: Repression and Crackdown on Civil Disobedience #

Government Response  Details 
Arrests 
  • The British colonial government in India arrested around 60,000 Indians who participated in the movement, including Mahatma Gandhi. 
Use of Force 
  • The government used force to suppress the movement, including lathi charges, tear gas, and even firing on unarmed protesters. 
Imposition of Restrictions 
  • The government imposed restrictions on public gatherings, processions, and even the possession of salt, which was a symbol of the movement. 
Negotiations 
  • The government also attempted to negotiate with Indian leaders to end the movement, but these efforts were unsuccessful. 
Crackdown on Press 
  • The government cracked down on the press, imposing censorship and banning publications that supported the movement. 

 

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Comparing Movements: Non-Cooperation vs Civil Disobedience #

Feature  Non-Cooperation Movement  Civil Disobedience Movement 
Year  1920-1922  1930-1934 
Objective  To protest against the Rowlatt Act and British rule.  To demand complete independence from British rule. 
Method  Non-violent non-cooperation with the British government.  Non-violent non-cooperation with the British government. 
Targeted policies  Boycott of British goods and institutions.  Salt tax boycott, a boycott of British goods and institutions. 
Participation  Significant participation by Muslims.  Less significant participation by Muslims. 
Outcomes  This led to the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation movement.  Led to increased participation in the Indian independence movement and eventual independence in 1947. 
Significance  The first mass movement of India’s independence struggle.  Signalled the beginning of the end of British colonial rule in India. 

 

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Conclusion

While the Civil Disobedience Movement did not immediately result in India’s independence, it was a watershed moment in the country’s fight against British colonial rule. The movement demonstrated the Indian people’s strength and determination, paving the way for future movements and ultimately leading to India’s independence in 1947.

ON SALT SATYAGRAHA MOVEMENT FAQs

Q1. What was the primary goal of the civil disobedience movement?

Ans. The Civil Disobedience Movement sought to obstruct the running of the government by refusing to cooperate with the British. It also attempted to boycott government institutions and foreign goods, as well as refuse to pay taxes. Congress, on the other hand, had little success with this attempt.

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Q2. When did civil disobedience begin?

Ans. In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement (Dandi March).

Q3. What was the most significant aspect of the civil disobedience movement?

Ans. The large-scale participation of women was a significant component of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Thousands of women came out of their homes to listen to Gandhi during his Salt Satyagraha Movement. They marched in protest, made salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor stores.

Q4. What were the three causes of the civil disobedience movement?

Ans. The Simon Commission, the defeat of the Dominion Status demand, and protests against the imprisonment of social revolutionaries were the key causes.

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 Final Result – CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2023.   Udaan-Prelims Wallah ( Static ) booklets 2024 released both in english and hindi : Download from Here!     Download UPSC Mains 2023 Question Papers PDF  Free Initiative links -1) Download Prahaar 3.0 for Mains Current Affairs PDF both in English and Hindi 2) Daily Main Answer Writing  , 3) Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis and quiz ,  4) PDF Downloads  UPSC Prelims 2023 Trend Analysis cut-off and answer key

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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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