The 24 days and 385 km long march to abolish salt tax imposed by the British, started from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a village located on the coast of Arabian sea in Gujarat state.
Here are some Interesting aspects regarding the Gandhi’s Dandi March to abolish the Salt Law
History of Salt Taxation In India
Taxation salt has been in India since the early days but the first proper taxation on salt was imposed by East India Company in year 1759 after the battle Of Plassey. East India Company Utilized the opportunity to make money by doubling the land rent and imposing transit charges on the transportation of salt. With the intentions of facilitating the salt import, East India Company increased the tax on salt in year 1835. Interestingly, these taxes were not replaced after the crown took the administration in their hands from the East India Company. The government set up a monopoly on the manufacture of salt by the Salt Act. Production of salt was made an offense punishable with six months’ imprisonment. The britishers also recommended that Indian salt should be sold in mounds( an Indian unit of weight equivalent to about 37 kg) of 100.This heavy taxation on salt continued in 90s to and the annual tax revenue of British government hiked to Rs 102 million from Rs 67 million in the span of 3 years – from 1929 to 1933.
First Protest Against Salt Tax
The salt tax was first criticized in the first session of the Indian National Congress held in 1885 in Bombay, a prominent Congress member, S. A. Saminatha Iyer pleaded against the tax and said:
“It would be unjust and unrighteous if the tax on salt should be increased. It is a necessary article both for human as well as animal well-being… it would be bad policy and a retrograde movement to raise the tax, especially at a time when the poor millions of India are anxiously looking forward to a further reduction of the tax… As any increase, therefore, of this tax will fall heavily upon the masses of the people of the land, I would strongly urge upon the attention of this Congress the necessity of its entering its strong protest against any attempt on the part of Government to raise the tax on salt”
Mahatama Gandhi wrote his first article on taxation of salt by britishers in india in year 1891 in a periodical named The Vegetarian’s column “The Indian Opinion” where he called the the continuation of salt tax by British government as a Great Shame. Addressing the criticism by Dr Hutchinson Gandhi wrote:
”The tax levied on salt in India has always been a subject of criticism. This time it has been criticized by the well-known Dr. Hutchinson who says that ‘it is a great shame for the British Government in India to continue it, while a similar tax previously in force in Japan has been abolished. Salt is an essential article in our dietary. It could be said that the increasing incidence of leprosy in India was due to the salt tax. Dr. Hutchinson considers the salt tax a barbarous practice, which ill becomes the British Government”
Mahatama Gandhi also wrote in Hind Swaraj from south africa urging Britishers to Abolish Salt tax
Idea Of Dandi March
Gandhi’s first significant attempt in India at leading mass satyagraha was the non-cooperation movement which existed fro year 1920 to 1922. The movement succeeded in raising millions of Indians in protest against the British and the Rowlatt Act created by them the movement was stopped by Gandhi after the incident of Chauri Chaura, The violent incident in which mob killed 22 unarmed policemen disheartened Gandhi and made him realize that his countrymen were not yet ready for non violent resistance Movement. Gadnhi always believed that Salt was that one thing that holds the power to gather mass and launch a mass movement against Britishers and On 8th March 1930 he first announced publicly about his intention to break salt law in a Gathering at Sabarmati Asharam and He announced that a march will start as an non-violent protest against the salt tax imposed by the British government
On 12th March Gandhi Along with his 78 Satyagrahi started the March of 385 km to the Dandi village from Sabarmati Asharam, The Satyagrahi who accompanied Gandhi belonged to every region caste and religion of india, As the march moved closer toward the destination Gandhi was accompnaied by thousand of people in support and on his way to the coastal village, Gandhi made stops at several villages to gather people against the colonial rule and ave fiery speeches to motivate people to join the resistance against the Britishers.
On April 5, Gandhi reached Dandi and walked towards sea by holding lump of salt in his hand and said “With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.” The Global Media covered Dandi March significantly and Gandhi’s First interview after reaching the seashore was taken by an Associated Press Reporter who covered the entire March since the Beginning, In the Interview Gandhi said:
“ I cannot withhold my compliments from the government for the policy of complete non interference adopted by them throughout the march …. I wish I could believe this non-interference was due to any real change of heart or policy. The wanton disregard shown by them to popular feeling in the Legislative Assembly and their high-handed action leave no room for doubt that the policy of heartless exploitation of India is to be persisted in at any cost, and so the only interpretation I can put upon this non-interference is that the British Government, powerful though it is, is sensitive to world opinion which will not tolerate repression of extreme political agitation which civil disobedience undoubtedly is, so long as disobedience remains civil and therefore necessarily non-violent …. It remains to be seen whether the Government will tolerate as they have tolerated the march, the actual breach of the salt laws by countless people from tomorrow”
This March led people of India into the Civil Disobedience Movement against British Raj and Thousands of people broke the salt law by making illegal salt and by breaking the law imposed by British raj as a protest against the British Government. The march also led to global attention towards the India seeking independence from the British Raj.
