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Seventy-five years ago
from this day, Mahatma Gandhi set out on a 241-mile
march that changed the history of India. We are
speaking about the epic salt march.
The unjust salt tax which
has been falling heavily on the shoulders of the poor
has been exercising the mind of Gandhiji for over 40
years. While writing in the journal of the Vegetarian
Congress in London, he wrote in 1891,”There are millions
of people in India who live on a paisa per day…have only
one meal per day and that consists of stale bread and
salt - a heavily taxed article.” In his Hind Swaraj,
in 1908 he makes a passing reference to the tax as an
unjust imposition.
Salt Act was passed by
the British Government in 1837 making manufacture and
sale of indigenous salt an offence punishable with a
fine of Rs five hundred and imprisonment of six months.
This was simply with a view to market the salt brought
from England as deadweight in ships. Indians had to pay
2400% of the original cost of the salt brought from
Liverpool.
It is against this
backdrop that Gandhiji decided to highlight the issue of
this Salt Tax in the Civil Disobedience Movement of
1930. After the talks on Dominion Status failed Lahore
Congress under the leadership Of Jawaharlal Nehru
decided to launch an agitation demanding Purna Sara.
The mantle of leading the struggle naturally fell on the
shoulders of Gandhiji. A charter of 11 demands was
placed before the Government which include inter alia,
abolition of Salt Tax, slashing Land Tax, Cutting down
expenditure on Military, imposing tax on imports, total
prohibition etc. Following up this Gandhiji wrote a
letter to Lord Irwin on March, 2 1930. Therein he
explained why he considered the British rule as a
curse. They had impoverished the dumb millions; sapped
the foundation of our culture; made Indians cowards and
helpless. Illustrating the lavish expenditure on
administration at the cost of the poor millions, he
cited the instance of the Viceroy himself who drew
Rs.21000/- a month plus perks as against 2 annas per
month of an average Indian. - %000 times! - as against
the British Prime Minister who drew onlyRs.5400/-only 90
times that of an average Britain.” On bended knees, I
ask you to ponder over this phenomenon“ he wrote and
asked him to respond positively so that the agitation
could be averted. He asked for bread. What he got back
in return was “stone” in the form of a curt reply from
Viceroy’s Personal Secretary that the contemplated
action would involve violence and danger to public
peace. There was no other course than to embark on the
course of action chalked out.
Gandhiji and 72 inmates
of the Sabarmathi Ashram set out on the March on 12th
march at 6.45 A.M to Dandi on a route and itinerary
already well planned. On the previous evening there was
prayer in the Ashram where over 10000 people
participated. Planning was made on all the aspects to
the minutest detail. Places where to halt, the frugal
food to be taken, details regarding shelter information
regarding the villages, like the number of untouchables,
liquor shops, salt consumption by the people, cattle etc
were ready on hand. Gandhiji spoke to the people enroute
on the evil of untouchability, drink, and about
constructive programmes. Diary keeping was meticulous
and Gandhi examined the diaries of Volunteers. Nobody
was to join en-route in the march without permission.
Yes, complying with this condition, the strength of
marchers swelled. The volunteers had to sign a pledge
expressing their complete faith in Purna Swaraj and
adherence to strictly non-violent legitimate means.
Gandhiji’s exhortation to them was,” Cultivate the
strength of will to see that a fist holding salt does
not open even if the wrist should be cut off”
Dandi was reached on
April, 5 1930.There were prayers, and Gandhiji said,
"For the present Dandi is our destination, but our real
destination is no other than the Temple of the Goddess
of Swaraj" On 6th April at early Gandhiji
scooped up a handful of salt to the cry of Sarojini
Naidu, "Hail, Deliverer". There were similar marches
and programmes in different parts of the country. So far
the Government did not think much of the event, which
was ignored. Gandhiji had even a word of compliment for
this non-interference by the Government. But Lord Irwin
had his own reasons. He thought that the struggle would
peter out through lack of enthusiasm. "I was always told
this his B.P. is dangerous and his heart is none too
good and I was also told a few days ago that his
horoscope predicts that he will die this year and this
is the explanation of his dangerous throw. It would be a
very happy solution “
On April 7th,
a volunteer was injured while holding Salt, by an
attempt by the police to seize it. The Village men and
women who were not enrolled volunteers rose up as one
man and started digging up salt. Seeing the tremendous
response to the call, the Government became jittery and
resorted to repressive measures. Leaders were arrested.
Gandhiji himself was arrested at the dead of night on
May 5th at a place called Karate and was taken by Bus to
Yerawada.
After proper notice was given, the
programme was to raid the salt depot at Dharsana. On the
arrest of the designated leader Abbas Tyabji Sarojini Naidu
took over the leadership.
A crowd of over 300
volunteers had assembled and to quell them a strong team of
3000 policemen were posted under the command of Deputy
Superintendent of Police, Robinson. Many of them wielded
steel spiked lathies. The Sathyagrahis were wading their
way through a ditch to reach the Depot. They were stopped
and beaten up ruthlessly by the Police. Volunteers marched
batch by batch, got beaten up, carried away in blankets,
only to be replaced by the next batch of volunteers. There
was the sickening sound of bamboo clubs falling on
unprotected heads. Lathes with steel spikes fell heavily on
the volunteers, whose patience only infuriated the Police,
who attacked mindlessly and mechanically. There were
unprintable offences on the private parts. Jasmine white
Khadi clothes turned crimson with blood. Web Miller, the
American Journalist who covered the event for United Press
flashed the news all over the globe. He wrote that the
Sathyagrahis were well trained. None of them lifted their
hand in defense or to protect themselves. He had counted 320
wounded. In 18 years of reporting, in 22 countries
including about civil disturbances, rebellions, street
fights etc., he had never seen such horrid scenes before.
Sardar Patel who arrived at the scene remarked that any hope
of reconciliation was lost forever. As some one observed, it
was a mini-Jallianwallabagh.
As a result of all this,
ultimately Gandhiji and all the leaders had to be
released. Gandhiji was called for discussion with the
viceroy, to the chagrin of Winston Churchill who was
alarmed at the nauseating site of the half naked fakir
striding the steps of the vice regal palace to parley on
equal terms with the representative of the King Emperor.
According to him, such an ignominy has never been faced
by the British ever since they set their foot on the
Indian soil. As Louis Fischer Points out, that after
1930, Indians became free even without themselves and
the world being conscious of it. The element of fear
was gone forever.
It will be highly rewarding to the Nation
and its people, if while we remember and commemorate this
glorious event, regain the intense feeling of patriotism,
discipline and self effacement that have been the hall marks
of this watershed struggle.
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