Salt+March

Salt March

//Also Salt Satyagraha.// The Salt March was a non-violent protest led by Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi's band of 78 handpicked marchers marched 241 miles in 24 days. The march was a social protest against the British Salt Tax, which prohibited Indians from buying salt from anyone except the British. This angered Indians because they were forced to pay for the mineral, which they could easily collect themselves. Before beginning his march, he wrote to the Viceroy saying, "If my letter makes no appeal to your heart, on the eleventh day of this month I shall proceed with such co-workers of the Ashram as I can take, to disregard the provisions of the Salt Laws. I regard this tax to be the most iniquitous of all from the poor man's standpoint. As the Independence movement is essentially for the poorest in the land, the beginning will be made with this evil". This complies with principle of Satyagraha stating that you must inform your opponents at all times.

The marchers departed from Sabarmati on March 12, 1930 and began their 240 mile journey to the coastal village of Dandi. Nearly every resident of each city along Gandhi's route came to watch the procession when it passed through. The townspeople also provided the marchers with the food they needed. The marchers did not sleep in hotels or homes, but instead on the ground.

Gandhi's band reached Dandi 23 days later and he instructed everyone, all over India, to begin making their own salt. Salt was also sold illegally all over India. A pinch of salt from Gandhi reportedly sold for 1,600 rupees ($750 at the time). By the end of April, over 60,000 Indians had been imprisoned by the British for breaking the Salt laws. On may 4, Gandhi himself was arrested. When he was released from jail, he continued his protests towards Indian Independence. Not only did the Salt March cause economic distress for the British, it inspired Indians in their fight for independence

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