DANDI MARCH
- On April 6, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi and his followers openly defied the British salt law by producing salt from seawater. Speaking to a Free Press representative, Gandhi asserted, "With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire."
- This act of defiance ignited a widespread movement across rural India, leading to the arrest of approximately 60,000 individuals. According to the Gandhismriti website, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahadev Desai, and Gandhi’s son Devdas were among the first to be imprisoned.
- In response, the British government declared the Indian National Congress illegal. Gandhi informed the Viceroy of his intention to march towards the Dharasana Salt Works, but before he could proceed, he was detained and sent to Yeravda Central Jail
- Following Gandhi’s arrest, the leadership of the Dharasana march was taken over by Abbas Tyabji, who was subsequently arrested. Sarojini Naidu then led the march but encountered severe police violence.
- An American journalist, Miller, reported that the police struck the marchers with steel-tipped batons, yet none of them retaliated or even raised an arm in defense. Instead, they fell one after another like dominoes
- The movement rapidly spread to different regions of India. Numerous colonial laws were violated, and people engaged in boycotts of foreign cloth and liquor. The Salt Satyagraha soon evolved into a broader civil disobedience movement.
- In Bengal, activists led by Satish Chandra Dasgupta walked from Sodepur Ashram to Mahisbathan to make salt. In Bombay, K.F. Nariman led a group to Haji Ali Point, where they prepared salt in a nearby park.
- Additionally, in raiyatwari regions, resistance took the form of refusing to pay the village police (chowkidari) tax and withholding rent. Violent clashes with law enforcement occurred, along with large-scale tribal incursions into forest areas in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and the Central Provinces
- In the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, widely known as the Frontier Gandhi, organized a non-violent volunteer force called the Khudai Khidmatgars (Red Shirts), who played a crucial role in the movement.
- The volunteers briefly took control of a town, but the British swiftly regained it, unleashing severe repression. Despite the violence, the Red Shirts adhered to their commitment to non-violence.
- Meanwhile, in Chittagong, a revolutionary group led by Surya Sen launched an attack against the British. They captured the local armory and declared independence under the name "Independent Republican Army." A fierce battle ensued at Jalalabad Hill, resulting in the deaths of several revolutionaries.
- In Tamil Nadu, C. Rajagopalachari spearheaded the Civil Disobedience Movement, organizing a march from Trichinopoly to Vedaranniyam on the Tanjore coast in April 1930 to challenge the salt law. This movement was followed by picketing of foreign cloth stores and anti-liquor campaigns.
- In Malabar, the salt march was led by Nair Congress leader Kelappan, while in Orissa, the movement was directed by Gopabandhu Chaudhary. Similarly, in Bihar, prominent leaders such as Ram Briksha Benipuri, Prof. Abdul Bari, and Acharya Kripalani took charge of the The British-imposed Salt Act of 1882 granted them exclusive control over salt production and distribution.
- Despite India's vast coastal resources, Indians were compelled to purchase salt from British authorities. Recognizing its fundamental importance to every Indian, Gandhi identified salt as the ideal symbol for launching mass civil disobedience against colonial rule
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On January 31, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi presented Lord Irwin with an 11-point charter of demands. These included enforcing total prohibition, adjusting the exchange ratio, cutting land revenue by 50%, eliminating the salt tax, reducing military expenses, lowering the salaries of top government officials, imposing a protective tariff on foreign cloth, passing the Coastal Traffic Reservation Bill, releasing all political prisoners except those convicted of murder, disbanding the Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D.), and granting firearm licenses for self-defense.
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Since Irwin showed no willingness to address these demands, Gandhi launched the historic Dandi March. Subsequently, on January 25, 1931, Viceroy Irwin announced the unconditional release of Gandhi and other Congress leaders to pave the way for discussions.
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The Gandhi-Irwin Pact, also known as the Delhi Pact, was formalized on March 5, 1931. This agreement led to the release of political prisoners not involved in violent crimes, remission of fines, and restitution of confiscated lands. Government employees who had resigned during the movement were treated leniently. In return, the Congress agreed to withdraw the Civil Disobedience Movement and participate in the Second Round Table Conference later that year
- Imports from Britain saw a significant decline, with textile imports, in particular, being reduced by half. This movement had a broader reach than its predecessors, witnessing large-scale participation from diverse sections of society, including women, peasants, workers, students, and urban groups such as merchants and shopkeepers. This extensive involvement elevated the Congress to an all-India status.
- The support from both the poor and the illiterate, in both rural and urban areas, was extraordinary. For Indian women, the movement proved to be a transformative experience, marking their active participation in public life for the first time.
- Although the Congress officially ended the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1934, its impact was far-reaching. The movement gained international recognition and played a crucial role in advancing the anti-colonial struggle
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For Prelims: Civil Disobedience movement, Dandi March
For Mains: Indian National movement, Civil disobediance movement and its significance
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Previous Year Questions
1.Which one of the following began with the Dandi March? (2009)
(a) Home Rule Movement Answer (c) 2.With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the following statements: (2019)
Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only Answer (b) 3.The 1929 Session of Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom Movement because the (2014) (a) attainment of Self-Government was declared as the objective of the Congress Answer (b) 4.With which one of the following movements is the slogan “Do or Die” associated? (2009) (a) Swadeshi Movement Answer (d) |
