Salt Satyagraha, History, Effects, Features, Challenges, Reactions
Salt Satyagraha was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 12th March 1930, which was an act of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Check the history of Dandi March Effects, Features and other facts.
Parul Rishi5 Apr, 2024
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Salt Satyagraha: The Salt March also known as Dandi March held from March to April 1930 in India, was a peaceful protest against British rule led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Thousands of Indians joined Gandhi on a 240-mile journey from his spiritual refuge near Ahmedabad to the Arabian Sea coast. The nonviolent march led to the arrest of around 60,000 people, including Gandhi. Ultimately, India gained independence from Great Britain in 1947 as a result of such protests. Check important details about Salt Satyagraha as well as dandi march in the article below.
Salt Satyagraha
The Salt Satyagraha was a big movement against the British government's tax on salt. Started by Mahatma Gandhi, it gathered a lot of people to protest the unfair tax on salt. Gandhi and his followers began their journey from Sabarmati Ashram on March 12, 1930, heading towards Dandi, a village by the sea in Gujarat. The main goal of this march was to challenge the British control over salt by breaking the salt law. Instead of buying salt from the British, Gandhi and his followers chose to make salt from seawater. This way, they wanted to show that Indians could be self-reliant and resist unjust taxes. The Salt March continued for 24 days, starting on March 12 and ending on April 6, 1930. It was a peaceful campaign to let people know about the unfair salt tax and to encourage them to peacefully resist it. The Salt Satyagraha had a lasting effect on India's fight for freedom. It became a symbol of the strength of nonviolent protest and played a key role in the larger Civil Disobedience Movement against British rule.Dandi March
A significant moment in India's fight for freedom was the Dandi March. The Indian National Congress started the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, and a crucial part of it was the Salt Satyagrah. In 1882, the British government had a law called the Salt Act, which gave them control over making and selling salt. Even though salt was easily available in India, people were forced to buy it from the British. Besides, the British put a high tax on salt, and the poorest in India suffered the most. Gandhi thought using salt as a symbol of protest would be powerful. Salt is essential for life, and everyone needs it for cooking and other purposes. However, the British Viceroy, Lord Irwin, didn't take the protest against the salt tax seriously. On March 8, 1930, in Ahmedabad, Gandhi told a large crowd that he would not follow the salt laws. The Dandi March directly challenged the unfair salt law. On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi, along with 78 supporters, walked 385 kilometres from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi. After the march, Gandhi broke the salt law by collecting sea salt and boiling it, showing his commitment to civil disobedience.What is Satyagraha?
After spending twenty years in South Africa, where Mohandas Gandhi fought for the rights of Indians, he returned to India in 1915. Gandhi began working towards India's independence from Great Britain. To peacefully oppose British laws, Gandhi suggested breaking the Salt Act, believing it to be a clever and nonviolent way for many Indians to resist. He declared resistance to British salt policies as the central theme for his new campaign called "satyagraha," which means mass civil disobedience.Salt Satyagraha History
In 1930, the Congress Party made a clear declaration that complete independence, known as Poorna Swarajya, was the primary goal of the freedom struggle. They marked 26 January as Poorna Swarajya Day, choosing civil disobedience as the method to achieve it. Mahatma Gandhi was entrusted with planning and organizing the first act of civil disobedience. He decided to challenge the government by breaking the salt tax law. Some members of Congress were uncertain about this choice, and both Indians and the British dismissed it. The Viceroy, Lord Irwin, showed little concern about the salt protest, and the government took no action to stop the salt march. Gandhi's decision to focus on salt was clever because it connected with every Indian. Salt was something everyone needed, and the tax on salt especially hurt the poor. Before the Salt Act 1882, Indians used to make salt from seawater without any cost. However, this act allowed the British to control salt production, imposing a tax and making it illegal to resist. Gandhi aimed to unite Hindus and Muslims, as both groups shared a common cause. The salt tax contributed significantly to the British Raj's tax revenue, making up 8.2%, and Gandhi knew the government could not ignore this.Salt Satyagraha Features
Gandhiji had some important ideas for the movement, and he kept them simple. Firstly, he said we should stand outside shops that sell foreign liquor and cloth to show our disagreement. Then, he wanted a big protest all across the country, where we break the salt law to make a strong point. Gandhiji also said that if we stop paying taxes, it will make a big impact. He suggested that lawyers should stop working, and we should avoid going to courts. Public servants were encouraged to leave their jobs as part of the non-cooperation. Schools and colleges were to be boycotted, according to Gandhiji. But the most crucial part was to stay peaceful throughout. Even when things got tough, the goal was to fight for self-governance without resorting to violence. Gandhiji also thought ahead. If important leaders like him got arrested, he wanted local leaders to take over and keep the movement going. This way, the struggle for change could continue without interruption.Salt Satyagraha Government Reactions
Important leaders like Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru were taken into custody during the movement. The Congress working committee got official approval. The people who were peacefully protesting, called Satyagrahis, faced strong and harsh actions against them.Salt Satyagraha Major Events
In 1930, the Viceroy of British India, Lord Irwin, rejected Mahatma Gandhi's basic demands for Indian self-government. In response, on March 12, 1930, Gandhi decided to lead 78 supporters on a 241-mile march from Sabarmati to Dandi on the Arabian Sea. Their goal was to break the salt law by producing salt from saltwater in Dandi. As Gandhi and his followers marched, thousands more joined them, sparking the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in various parts of the country. By May 5, over 60,000 Indians had been imprisoned by the British for participating in the movement. Even when Gandhi was taken into custody, the salt satyagraha continued. About 150 miles north of Bombay, Sarojini Naidu organised another salt satyagraha at the Dharasana Salt Works with 2,500 marchers. This event, captured by American journalist Webb Miller, led to international criticism of British policies in India. In January 1931, after his release from prison, Gandhi met with Irwin. Following this meeting, Gandhi cancelled the Civil Disobedience Movement and went to London to negotiate India's freedom.Salt Satyagraha Effects
About 60,000 people, including Gandhiji, were arrested by the government. Many people were involved in civil disobedience, protesting against unpopular taxes like salt tax, forest laws, chowkidar tax, and land tax. The government tried to stop the movement by creating more laws and censoring information. The Congress Party was declared illegal, but the protestors, called satyagrahis, continued their movement. Although there were some violent incidents in Calcutta and Karachi, Gandhiji didn't stop the movement, unlike in the past. C Rajagopalachari led a similar march in Tamil Nadu, and K Kelappan led one in the Malabar region. In Assam and Andhra Pradesh, people also marched, producing salt illegally. In Peshawar, Gandhiji's disciple, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, organized the Satyagraha. In April 1930, he was arrested, and his followers were fired upon by the British Indian Army, even though they were unarmed. Many women participated in the Satyagraha. People boycotted foreign clothes, picketed liquor shops, and went on strikes. On May 21, 1930, peaceful protests led by Sarojini Naidu protested against the Dharasana Salt Works. The police attacked them, resulting in two deaths and several injuries. This event gained international attention and condemned British policies in India. The British government was shaken by the non-violent nature of the movement, making it challenging for them to suppress it violently. This movement had three main effects: it brought attention to the Indian freedom struggle in Western media, involved more people, including women and the oppressed, in the freedom movement, and demonstrated the power of non-violent Satyagraha against imperialism. Gandhiji was released in 1931, and he met with Lord Irwin. According to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, the civil disobedience movement would end, and Indians could make salt for domestic use. Lord Irwin also agreed to release the arrested Indians. Gandhiji attended the Second Round Table Conference in London as an 'equal.Salt Satyagraha Challenges
The protest movement, unfortunately, did not succeed in obtaining significant concessions or changes from the government. Despite its efforts, the support from the Muslim community remained limited, which posed a challenge for the movement's effectiveness. To succeed in upcoming exams, candidates should consider exploring PW SSC Books We provide high-quality content at an affordable price, including sample papers, mock tests, guidance sessions, and more to ensure aspirants secure their selection. Also, enroll today on SSC Online Coaching to turn your dreams into reality.| Other Related Links | |
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Salt Satyagraha FAQs
Q1. What was the Salt Satyagraha ?
Ans. The Salt Satyagraha was a mass civil disobedience movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi against the salt tax imposed by the British government in India. He led a large group of people from Sabarmati Ashram on 12th March 1930 till Dandi, a coastal village in Gujarat, to break the salt law by producing salt from seawater.
Q2. Why was it called the Salt March?
ANs. The Salt March was a major nonviolent protest action in India led by Mohandas K. Gandhi in March–April 1930. It was directed against the British government's tax on salt, which greatly affected the poorest Indians.
Q3. Who are the participants in Salt Satyagraha?
Ans. The march was led by Gandhiji to produce salt from the seawater in the coastal village of Dandi. Freedom fighters such as Sarojini Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay were part of this march.
Q4. Who introduced Salt Satyagraha?
Ans. The Dandi March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, was a nonviolent civil disobedience campaign led by Mahatma Gandhi in colonial India in 1930
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