- On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi embarked a historic Salt March from
Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad to the village of Dandi in the
state’s coastal area to protest against the steep tax the British levied on salt. - It continued till April 6, 1930. It was a 24-day non-violent march led by
Mahatma Gandhi. - During that time, the British had prohibited Indians from collecting or selling
salt. Indians were also forced to buy the staple diet ingredient from the
British, who, not only exercised a monopoly over its manufacture and sale
but also levied a heavy salt tax. The Salt March was a collective beginning
of a mass resistance movement against the British tyranny. - The Congress Party in the Lahore session of December 1929, passed the
Purna Swaraj resolution. It was proclaimed on 26 January 1930 and decided
that civil disobedience was the way to achieve it. Mahatma Gandhi chose the
path of non-violence to break the salt tax against the British government.
The then, Viceroy Lord Irwin could not prevent the salt march from taking
place. - Upon reaching the seashore in Dandi, Mahatma Gandhi broke the law by
producing illegal salt. This later turned into a mass civil disobedience
movement throughout India as millions broke salt laws by either making salt
or buying illegal salt. - Salt was a commodity used by all people of every community and the poor
people were affected more by the salt tax. Until the passing of the 1882 Salt
Act, Indians were making salt from seawater free of cost. - But the Salt march gave the British a monopoly over the production of salt and
the authority to impose a salt tax. Violation of the Salt Act was a criminal
offence. With the Salt Satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi tried to unite Hindu
and Muslims because the cause was common. - Due to the Salt Act, the population of India was not able to sell salt
independently, and instead, Indians were required to buy expensive, heavily
taxed salt that often was imported. A great majority of Indians are affected
and the poor were even not able to afford to buy it. - The Salt March, led by Mahatma Gandhi, began with around 80 people, but
as more and more people joined in for the 390 km-long journeys, it grew into
a strong force of 50,000 people. - The Salt March got national and international recognition and shook the
Britishers with its non-violent nature. It got massive press coverage and drew
the world’s attention towards the Indian Independence Movement.
Although the information provided above is enough from examination point of view, if you still want to know more about the Dandi March then don’t suppress your curiosity and click here to learn more.
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