Introduction:
The Dandi March, also referred to as the Salt March or Dandi Satyagraha, stands as a significant instance of nonviolent civil disobedience spearheaded by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, aimed at challenging British colonial rule in India.
Main Body:
Causes:
Salt Monopoly Curse:
The salt monopoly had dire consequences: it deprived villages of a valuable industry, caused extensive destruction of abundant natural resources, increased national expenditures due to destruction, and imposed an exorbitant tax of over 1,000% on a struggling populace.
Simon Commission and Lack of Indian Representation:
The Simon Commission of 1928, lacking Indian members, was sent to assess India’s constitutional system. Political parties unitedly boycotted it, triggering discontent.
Call for “Poorna Swaraj” (Complete Independence):
In 1929, under Nehru’s leadership, the Congress declared its aspiration for complete independence, intensifying nationalist sentiments.
Gandhi’s Eleven Demands and Civil Disobedience:
As nationalist fervor heightened, Gandhi’s letter to Lord Irwin with eleven demands in 1930 was declined. This led to the initiation of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Significance (Critical Evaluation):
Global Attention and Impact:
The Dandi March, akin to the non-cooperation movement, garnered substantial attention from international and national media as well as world leaders.
British Government’s Disturbance:
The march’s popularity rattled the British government; numerous arrests ensued. Gandhi’s arrest at Dharasana salt works marked a key turning point.
Spread of Civil Disobedience:
The breach of salt laws in Dandi spurred similar acts across India. In Bengal, Satish Chandra Dasgupta led volunteers to produce salt at Mahisbathan.
Comprehensive Impact:
The movement encompassed foreign cloth and liquor boycotts, violations of forest laws in various regions, and tax refusal by peasants in Gujarat and Bengal.
Long-Term Consequences:
The Satyagraha ended in 1934; it earned global recognition for Gandhi’s and Congress’s legitimate pursuit of Indian Independence. Reductions in foreign imports, government revenue, and the Gandhi-Irwin Pact ensued.
Conclusion:
The Civil Disobedience Movement through the Dandi March transcended urban boundaries, involving rural areas in a national-scale protest, thereby representing a turning point in the Indian Independence movement.
This movement not only galvanized masses but also set the trajectory towards India’s complete independence from colonial rule.