Class 12 History Notes Chapter 11 The Salt Satyagraha A Case Study discusses that the Salt Satyagraha, also known as the Salt March, Dandi March, and the Dandi Satyagraha, was a nonviolent civil disobedience movement in colonial India.
It was led by Mahatma Gandhi and lasted from March 12, 1930 to April 6, 1930. The march was a direct-action campaign of tax resistance and nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly. Gandhi led a large group of people from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a coastal village in Gujarat. The group produced salt from seawater to break the salt law.
In this article, we will look into the topic The Salt Satyagraha A Case Study in detail. It is an important topic in Class 12 History NCERT. Class 12 History Chapter 11 The Salt Satyagraha A Case Study.
What was the Salt Satyagraha?
The Salt Satyagraha, also known as the Salt March, was a nonviolent civil disobedience movement in colonial India. It was led by Mahatma Gandhi and lasted from March 12, 1930 to April 6, 1930.
- The march was a direct-action movement against the British salt monopoly, focusing on tax resistance and nonviolence.
- Gandhi led a large crowd from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a coastal village in Gujarat. To avoid the salt prohibition, the gang made salt from seawater.
- The Salt Satyagraha was a major turning point in the Indian independence movement. It showed the British that Indians were willing to stand up for their rights and that they were united in their opposition to British rule.
- The Salt Satyagraha also inspired other movements around the world, including the American Civil Rights Movement. The Salt Satyagraha was a significant event in Indian history.
- It was a major turning point in the Indian independence movement and it inspired other movements around the world. The Salt Satyagraha is a reminder of the power of nonviolent civil disobedience and the importance of fighting for justice.
The Salt Satyagraha – A Case Study
Mahatma Gandhi, after the Non-Cooperation Movement ended, focused on social reform. In 1928, he re-entered politics, leading to an all-India campaign against the all-White Simon Commission.
- Gandhi did not participate in this movement but gave blessings to a peasant satyagraha in Bardoli.
- In December 1929, the Congress held its annual session in Lahore, which marked the election of Jawaharlal Nehru as President and the commitment to “Purna Swaraj” or complete independence.
- On January 26, 1930, “Independence Day” was observed, with the national flag hoisted and patriotic songs sung.
- Gandhi instructed that the Declaration of Independence should be made by all villages and cities and that meetings should be held at the same time in all places.
- Participants would take a pledge affirming the inalienable right of the Indian people to have freedom and enjoy the fruits of their labour.
Dandi
Mahatma Gandhi announced his intention to lead a march to break the salt monopoly in British India, which gave the state a monopoly over the production and sale of salt.
- This was seen as a tactical move by Gandhiji to mobilise wider discontent against British rule. However, the British Raj failed to understand the significance of the action.
- On 12 March 1930, Gandhiji began walking towards the ocean, making himself a criminal in the eyes of the law.
- Parallel salt marches were being conducted in other parts of India, and the rulers responded by detaining dissenters.
- In the wake of the Salt March, nearly 60,000 Indians were arrested, including Gandhiji himself.
- The progress of Gandhiji’s march can be traced from secret reports filed by police officials to monitor his movements.
- These reports reproduce speeches he gave at villages en route, calling upon local officials to renounce government employment and join the freedom struggle.
- In one village, Gandhiji told the upper castes that for Swaraj to be achieved, they must unite Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, and Sikhs.
- The American news magazine, Time, initially scorned Gandhiji’s appearance and scepticism about his physical abilities.
- However, within a week, Time changed its mind, realizing the massive popularity following the march had garnered and saluting Gandhiji as a “Saint” and “Statesman,” using “Christian acts as a weapon against men with Christian beliefs.”
Significance of Dandi March
The Salt March was a significant event that brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention, as it was the first nationalist activity in which women participated in large numbers.
- It also forced the British government to realize that their Raj would not last forever and that they would have to devolve some power to the Indians.
- To achieve this, the British government convened a series of “Round Table Conferences” in London, which led to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, which called off civil disobedience, released all prisoners, and allowed salt manufacture along the coast.
- However, the conference was inconclusive, and Gandhiji returned to India and resumed civil disobedience.
- In 1935, a new Government of India Act was proposed, and the Congress won a comprehensive victory in an election held based on a restricted franchise.
- In September 1939, the Second World War broke out, and Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru promised Congress support to the war effort if the British promised India independence once hostilities ended. However, the offer was refused, and the Congress ministries resigned in protest.
- The political landscape became complicated, with the Congress, Muslim League, and British all-party government struggling for control.
- In 1942, Churchill sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India to try and forge a compromise with Gandhiji and the Congress, but talks broke down when the Congress insisted that the Viceroy had to appoint an Indian as the Defence Member of his Executive Council.
Dialogues
The Salt March was notable for at least three reasons. First, it was this event that first brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention.
- The march was widely covered by the European and American press. Second, it was the first nationalist activity in which women participated in large numbers.
- The socialist activist Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay had persuaded Gandhiji not to restrict the protests to men alone.
- Kamaladevi was herself one of the numerous women who courted arrest by breaking the salt or liquor laws.
- Third, and perhaps most significant, it was the Salt March that forced upon the British the realisation that their Raj would not last forever and that they would have to devolve some power to the Indians.
- To that end, the British government convened a series of “Round Table Conferences” in London. The first meeting was held in November 1930, but without the pre-eminent political leader in India, thus rendering it an exercise in futility.
- Gandhiji was released from jail in January 1931 and the following month had several long meetings with the Viceroy.
- These culminated in what was called the “Gandhi-Irwin Pact’, by the terms of which civil disobedience would be called off, all prisoners released, and salt manufacture allowed along the coast.
- The pact was criticised by radical nationalists, for Gandhiji was unable to obtain from the Viceroy a commitment to political independence for Indians. he could obtain merely an assurance of talks towards that possible end.
- A second Round Table Conference was held in London in the latter part of 1931. Here, Gandhiji represented the Congress.
- However, his claims that his party represented all of India came under challenge from three parties: from the Muslim League, which claimed to stand for the interests of the Muslim minority; from the Princes.
- The Conference in London was inconclusive, so Gandhiji returned to India and resumed civil disobedience. The new Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, was deeply unsympathetic to the Indian leader.
Conclusion – Class 12 History Notes Chapter 11 The Salt Satyagraha A Case Study
In conclusion, Chapter 11 of Class 12 History, “The Salt Satyagraha: A Case Study,” analyzes one of the most memorable moments in India’s struggle for independence. The chapter analyzes the strategic and symbolic significance of nonviolent resistance in facing British colonial control using the Salt Satyagraha as an example.
The Salt Satyagraha, led by Mahatma Gandhi, inspired millions of Indians while also showing the potential of collective action and civil disobedience in the face of injustice. Despite facing repression and jail, the Satyagrahis’ bravery and determination eventually contributed to India’s march toward freedom.
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The Salt Satyagraha A Case Study- FAQ
What is the focus of Class 12 History Chapter 11?
The chapter focuses on the Salt Satyagraha, an important event in India’s struggle for independence led by Mahatma Gandhi.
What was the Salt Satyagraha?
The Salt Satyagraha was a nonviolent campaign against British salt monopoly, where Indians protested by making salt from seawater.
What were the objectives of the Salt Satyagraha?
The objectives included challenging British salt laws, asserting Indian self-reliance, and mobilizing mass participation in the nationalist movement.
How did the British respond to the Salt Satyagraha?
The British responded with arrests, repression, and violence against Satyagrahis, including Mahatma Gandhi.
What was the impact of the Salt Satyagraha on India’s independence movement?
The Salt Satyagraha increased national unity, international attention, and marked a significant milestone in India’s journey towards independence.