Dandi March

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Prime Minister has flagged off a symbolic 386-kilometre ‘Dandi March’ from Ahmedabad, which will culminate on April 6 at Dandi in Navsari district.

  • It is the 91st anniversary of the historic Salt March led by Mahatma Gandhi.

Dandi March

  • It is also known as Salt Satyagraha and marked the first step of the Civil Disobedience movement.
  • Reasons behind the launch of Dandi March:
    • Simon Commission: No Indian was included in it despite protests by Congress and all major parties.
      • Britishers even mocked Indians by terming them incapable of framing their own constitution.
    • Lahore Declaration of Congress, 1929: It declared Complete Independence as the goal of Indian Freedom Struggle.
    • Non Acceptance of Gandhi’s 11 Points Demand: Gandhi ji put forth 11 demands including release of all Political Prisoners, Issual of Arms license to Indians for self defence, etc.
  • Gandhi ji after his 11 points demand was not met launched a non violent march from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930, travelled to 21 places and over 390 kms and reached Dandi on 5 April 1930.
  • Gandhi also published an article titled “Duty of Disloyalty”. In the issue of Young India.
  • Gandhi, Nehru, etc were arrested on breaking salt law which again instigated masses to take part in Civil Disobedience.

Why Salt was Chosen?

  • Salt appealed to masses as Repressive Salt Law prohibited Indians from processing and manufacturing salt.

Other Leaders of the movement:

About Gandhi’s Previous Experiments with Civil Disobedience

  • Transvaal Protest in South Africa: Transvaal immigration act was opposed by Gandhi in South Africa.
    • 1906: A legislation in Transvaal, required the Indians to register themselves and carry registration certificates at all times.
    • Gandhi initiated passive resistance or “satyagraha” and called the Indians to burn their certificates in public.
    • Later, the authorities even imposed restrictions on the interprovincial movement of Indians, and declared their Hindu marriages legally invalid.
    • Finally in 1913, Gandhi launched a March from Natal to Transvaal, crossing the border illegally.
    • These Marchers were sent to jail and treated brutally. But the struggle paid off, and under Gen.Smut-Gandhi agreement, most of their demands were accepted.
  • Champaran Satyagrah:
    • It was Gandhi’s first CDM in India
    • Indigo farmers were relieved by less taxes at the end.

Source: IE

 
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