Salt Satyagraha and the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930)

The Salt Satyagraha and the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934) were landmark events in India’s struggle for independence, marking a new phase of mass, non-violent resistance against British colonial rule. Initiated and led by Mahatma Gandhi, these movements symbolised the unity of the Indian people and their collective determination to assert their rights through peaceful defiance of unjust laws.
The Salt Satyagraha, also known as the Dandi March, became the immediate trigger for the broader Civil Disobedience Movement, transforming Indian nationalism into a mass-based campaign involving millions across the country.

Background and Causes

By the late 1920s, the political climate in India had changed significantly:

1. Simon Commission (1927):
   • The British government appointed the Simon Commission to recommend constitutional reforms in India, but it included no Indian members, provoking nationwide protests under the slogan “Simon Go Back.”
2. Nehru Report (1928):
   • In response, Indian leaders drafted the Nehru Report, demanding dominion status for India within the British Empire.
   • However, the British government ignored these demands, deepening Indian resentment.
3. Lahore Session of Congress (1929):
   • At the Lahore session of the Indian National Congress, held under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, the demand for Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) was adopted as the party’s goal.
   • 26 January 1930 was declared Independence Day, to be observed with public pledges of freedom.
4. Economic Exploitation and the Salt Tax:
   • The British monopoly over the production and sale of salt symbolised the broader exploitation of Indian resources.
   • Salt was an essential commodity for all, especially the poor, and the salt tax affected every Indian household.
   • Gandhi saw it as a simple yet powerful issue that could unite people of all classes and regions.

Thus, the Salt Law became the focus of Gandhi’s new campaign of civil disobedience.

The Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March)

The Salt Satyagraha was the first major act of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

• Announcement of the Movement: On 12 March 1930, Gandhi launched the Salt Satyagraha after the British refused to negotiate reforms with the Congress.
• The Dandi March:
  • Gandhi, accompanied by 78 volunteers, marched from his ashram at Sabarmati (Ahmedabad) to the coastal village of Dandi in Gujarat, covering about 390 kilometres in 24 days.
  • Along the route, he addressed large gatherings, spreading the message of non-violent resistance (Satyagraha) and urging Indians to defy the salt tax peacefully.
• Breaking the Salt Law:
  • On 6 April 1930, Gandhi reached Dandi and made salt by evaporating seawater, symbolically breaking the British monopoly.
  • This act became a moral and political challenge to British authority and a call for nationwide civil disobedience.

Expansion into the Civil Disobedience Movement

The Salt Satyagraha inspired a nationwide campaign of mass defiance against colonial laws. The movement spread rapidly across India, encompassing various forms of non-violent protest:

1. Defiance of Salt Laws:
   • People in coastal regions began making and selling salt illegally.
   • Salt pans were seized, and government monopolies were disrupted.
2. Refusal to Pay Taxes and Revenue:
   • Peasants in provinces like Gujarat, Bihar, and the United Provinces refused to pay land revenue and taxes.
3. Boycott of Foreign Goods:
   • People boycotted British cloth, liquor, and imported products.
   • Bonfires of foreign goods became a common sight.
4. Picketing of Shops and Institutions:
   • Volunteers picketed liquor shops, government offices, and foreign cloth stores.
5. Resignation from Government Services:
   • Many lawyers, students, and government employees resigned from official posts.
6. Forest Law Violations:
   • In tribal and forest regions, people entered government forests to collect wood and graze cattle in defiance of forest restrictions.
7. Women’s Participation:
   • Women, led by figures such as Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Sarojini Naidu, and Annie Besant, played a prominent role in picketing and demonstrations.
8. Participation of Peasants and Workers:
   • Farmers, industrial workers, and small traders joined protests, making the movement truly national in character.

Government Response

The British government reacted harshly to the movement:

• Thousands of protesters were arrested, including prominent Congress leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi).
• On 5 May 1930, Gandhi himself was arrested, leading to mass protests and violent reprisals in some places, despite Gandhi’s insistence on non-violence.
• Police used lathi charges and opened fire on peaceful demonstrators.

The brutal repression drew international condemnation, generating sympathy for India’s cause across the world.

The Gandhi–Irwin Pact (March 1931)

The growing unrest compelled the British government to open negotiations with Gandhi.

• Viceroy Lord Irwin invited Gandhi for talks, leading to the Gandhi–Irwin Pact (5 March 1931).
• Under the agreement:
  • The British government agreed to:
    • Withdraw ordinances and release political prisoners (except those convicted of violence).
    • Allow Indians to make salt for personal use in coastal areas.
  • The Congress agreed to:
    • Suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement.
    • Participate in the Second Round Table Conference in London.

While the pact was criticised by some radicals as a compromise, it was seen as a diplomatic success for Gandhi, as the British formally recognised the Congress as the representative of Indian opinion.

Second Phase of the Movement (1932–1934)

• The Second Round Table Conference (1931) failed to achieve any progress, as Gandhi’s demand for complete independence was rejected.
• On his return, Gandhi resumed the Civil Disobedience Movement in January 1932.
• The British government responded with renewed repression:
  • The Congress was declared illegal.
  • Leaders were arrested again, and meetings banned.

Despite mass arrests, protests continued sporadically until 1934, when Gandhi formally suspended the movement.

Regional and Social Participation

The Civil Disobedience Movement witnessed widespread participation across India:

• North-West Frontier Province: Led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and his Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) movement.
• Bengal: Youth groups and students participated actively in protests and boycotts.
• Tamil Nadu and Kerala: Protests against liquor shops and salt laws.
• Andhra Pradesh: Widespread participation in forest law violations.
• Women: Joined processions, picketing, and salt making; their participation was unprecedented in scale.

This broad participation transformed the freedom struggle into a people’s movement cutting across regions, castes, and genders.

Significance and Achievements

1. Mass Mobilisation:
   • For the first time, millions of Indians across social and regional boundaries participated in a unified national movement.
2. Moral Legitimacy:
   • The movement gave India’s independence struggle moral authority before the world through its adherence to non-violence (Ahimsa).
3. Political Awakening:
   • It awakened political consciousness among peasants, women, and youth, strengthening the foundation of Indian democracy.
4. Recognition of Congress:
   • The British government acknowledged the Indian National Congress as a legitimate representative of Indian opinion.
5. International Sympathy:
   • The movement attracted global media attention, generating sympathy and support for India’s cause.
6. Symbol of Unity:
   • Salt, a common necessity, became a symbol of unity among all classes and communities.

Limitations

• The movement did not achieve immediate independence.
• Some sections, such as industrial workers, zamindars, and Muslim elites, participated only marginally.
• Communal divisions persisted, and the Muslim League continued to grow separately.
• The Second Round Table Conference failed to reach a settlement with the British.