2023-04-06 07:18:32
Dandi March
Dandi March has been the most influential symbolic movement in the Indian freedom struggle.
After the Dandi march, the colonial power of the British rule started coming under pressure.
Through this movement, Mahatma Gandhi once again introduced the world to the power of truth and non-violence.
The tradition of making salt in India has been there since ancient times. Traditionally, the work of making salt has been done by farmers, who were also called salt farmers.
In Bihar and many other provinces, this work was assigned to a particular caste. Gradually, improvement in the technique of making salt had started, but over time, salt started becoming an item of trade rather than a necessity.
In a letter written to Lord Irwin on March 2, 1930, Gandhiji said, “Politically our position is no better than that of slaves; the very root of our culture has been hollowed out. All our manhood has been abducted by taking away our weapons. In this letter, he further writes, “The purpose of this letter is not to threaten anything. This is only a simple and sacred duty of a Satyagrahi, therefore I am sending it especially to a young English friend who is a supporter of the Indian side, who has full faith in non-violence and who has probably been sent to me for this work only.
The English youth whom Gandhiji mentioned was Reginald Reynolds. This young man had lived with Gandhiji in the ashram and had complete faith in Gandhiji's policies. Gandhiji's purpose behind writing the letter to Lord Irwin was to give information rather than a warning because he considered this law most unjust to the poor.
Dandi March started from Sabarmati Ashram on March 12 as per the schedule. At exactly half past six, Gandhiji left the ashram with his 79 followers and started the march. He covered the distance of 241 miles till Dandi in 24 days.
During the Dandi march, it was decided that the people should concentrate their forces on the salt law and at the same time it was warned that civil disobedience would not be started before Gandhi reached Dandi and break the salt law.
On April 4, 1930, the march entered Dandi at night. On the morning of 5th April hundreds of Gandhian satyagrahis clad in khadi gathered on the Dandi beach. Press conference was also organized in Dandi. Sarojini Naidu, Dr. Sumant, Abbas Tayyabji, Mithuben Petit also came to meet Gandhiji. In his address, Gandhiji informed about breaking the salt law the next morning.
In the morning of 6th April Gandhiji broke the salt law by taking salt in hand on the Dandi beach. He was detained under British law. It was from here that the Civil Disobedience Movement started.
During the Salt Satyagraha, 60,000 people including Mahatma Gandhi were arrested.
This was the most important stage of India's independence, which came out of the seed of Dandi March. With Gandhiji's Dandi march, a wave of national consciousness spread across India.
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