Elaborate Salt March
Write a note on the Salt March. How did the British react to the salt march?
Elaborate Salt March
The salt march was started in April 1930, and it was led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as the father of our nation. It was an act of civil disobedience against the British rule in India. In this march, thousands of Indians followed Gandhiji. This movement was started because of the 1882 Salt Act imposed by Britain. This act prohibited Indians from manufacturing or selling salt, which was a staple diet at that time. The masses were forced to purchase salt from the British rulers, who not only controlled the manufacturing and selling but also imposed a heavy salt tax on the vital mineral. This act affected all the Indians.
Gandhiji, along with his followers, started this march on 12th March 1930, from Sambermanti near Ahmedabad to a town named Dandi. This is why it is also known as the Dandi march. This march was roughly 240 miles long, and as they got closer to their destination, the number of followers kept on increasing. Gandhiji aimed to defy the British rulers by making salt from seawater. On 5th April, the crowd finally reached Dandi. This march broke out all across India, where millions of people joined the movement.
The British rulers were furious and arrested more than 60,000 Indians. Gandhiji was also arrested on 5th May, but the satyagrah movement continued without him. On May 21, Sarojini Naidu, along with 2,500 salt workers, marched to Dharasana to peacefully protest the Salt Act, but they were brutally beaten up by British-led Indian policemen. In January 1931, Gandhiji was released from prison due to his deteriorating health.
Later that year, Gandhiji called off the Satyagraha in exchange for an equal negotiating role at a conference which was held in London for the future of India. The meeting was a disappointment, but this made the Britishers acknowledge Gandhiji as a force to be reckoned with. Finally, India got its independence on 15th August 1947.
– Written By Nehal Rathi
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