IAS Mains General Studies Sample Answers

Salt Satyagraha 1930 : Mahatma Gandhi & Its Results

When Gandhiji withdrawn the Noncooperation Movement after the incident of Chauri-Chaura, there was no mass movement effectively held, though some low key movements were held as peasant and local movement and revolutionary activities were there. Gandhiji presented his II point demands but there were no positive response to it. So Gandhiji decided to launch the salt satyagraha in 1930 as the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). The congress working committee had invested Gandhiji with full powers to launch this CDM at the time and place of his time.

The salt satyagraha was a move on the part of Gandhiji to win sympathy of peasants as well as lower classes of society. CDM was started on March 12, 1930 with 78 satyagrah is and they marched to Dandi and violated the salt law. Though his Gandhiji wanted to arouse a nationwide movement by common. Resultantly the whole country joined CDM. Other local groups also violated the salt law at various places. School, Colleges, Government offices, War boycotted, Foreign clothes were burnt, picketing and nonpayment of taxes were done.

After making salt at Dandi, Gandhi continued southward along the coast, producing salt and addressing meetings on the way. His party planned to stage a satyagraha at the Dharasana Salt Works, 25 miles south of Dandi. However, Gandhi was arrested on the midnight of 4–5 May 1930, just days before the planned action at Dharasana.

The Dandi March and the ensuing Dharasana Satyagraha drew worldwide attention to the Indian independence movement through extensive newspaper and newsreel coverage. The satyagraha against the salt tax continued for almost a year, ending with Gandhi's release from jail and negotiations with Viceroy Lord Irwin at the Second Round Table Conference. Over 80,000 Indians were jailed as a result of the Salt Satyagraha. However, it failed to result in major concessions from the British.

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Courtesy: Wikipedia

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