How dandi march played a significant role in the indian struggle for independence?
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WHAT IS DANDI MARCH (SALT MARCH)?
One of the most important events in India’s struggle for independence took place when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement with his famous Dandi March, which began on 12th March 1930 and ended on April 6th, 1930. Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha was a non-violent means of protest led by Mahatma Gandhi which garnered huge public support and worldwide attention. Gandhiji walked from his ashram in Sabarmati in today’s Gujarat to small town of Dandi near coastal Surat to protest against the repressive salt tax imposed by the colonial government. This march covering the distance of roughly 385 km worked as a catalyst for India’s struggle for Independence. The salt Satyagraha (Sanskrit word meaning ‘holding onto truth’) was based on Gandhi’s principle of non-violence. Gandhi believed that non-violent means of protest with the means of ‘soul force’ was the right method to fight political and social injustice. Dandi March demonstrated Gandhi’s experiments with his non-violent means of political action. This kind of political action has been unprecedented in the history of political protest around the world.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF DANDI MARCH IN INDIAN FREEDOM STRUGGLE
As soon as Gandhiji started the march, the image of Mahatma leading the nation stirred the imagination of the entire nation. This March acquired huge public support and drew the attention of international media. By the time Gandhiji reached Dandi, he had a whole nation, aroused and anticipating, waiting restlessly for the final act. On 6th April 1930, by picking up a handful of salt, Gandhiji started the Civil Disobedience Movement, a movement that was to remain unprecedented in the history of the Indian national movement for the countrywide mass participation that it was able to weave together.
Dandi March led by Gandhi proved to be the major factor in the spread of the Civil Disobedience Movement all over the country. The popular support and media coverage that the march received was unprecedented in the Indian struggle for Independence. Dandi March allowed the women to become an important part of the nationalist movement. People from all caste, religion, and regions participated in March making it a symbol of the inclusive national movement. Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March as it is popularly known provided the necessary pace to the freedom movement and broadened its support base. Gandhiji’s non-violent means of protest began to be adopted all over the country.
Apart from the spread of the Civil Disobedience Movement across the country, that Dandi March initiated. The Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March played an important role in instilling a sense of confidence among the people to stand against the British Raj. It expanded the social base of India’s struggle for independence, people from varied, caste, creed, religion, and region became part of the movement. Dandi march also allowed Gandhi to experiment with his novel ways of political protest, a non-violent mode of protest seemed to be much effective than anyone else could have expected.
AFTERMATH OF DANDI MARCH (SALT MARCH)
Gandhiji’s salt satyagraha led to series of similar movement across the country, defiance of salt laws started everywhere. C. Rajagopalachari in Tamil Nadu led a movement in defiance of salt laws, similar movements took place in Bengal, Andhra, and other places. Government’s initial decision to not arrest Gandhi for breaking the salt laws let to the formation of a popular opinion that government was afraid of such movements. Jawaharlal Nehru’s arrest on 14th April 1930, for defiance of salt laws, led to massive protest and demonstration in all major cities at that time. The arrest of Congress leaders in North-West Frontier Province led to a mass demonstration in Peshawar. Finally, Gandhi was arrested on the midnight of 4-5 May. News of his arrest stirred thousands of people to join the movement. Leaders like Sarojini Naidu continued the movement where they had to suffer police brutality. The Satyagraha continued for a year until Gandhi was released from jail. Finally, Gandhi was released in January 1931 and began negotiations with Lord Irwin regarding the Satyagraha. Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed on 5th March 1931, this led Gandhi to attend the second round table conference in London.