12 March 1930Freedom Struggle (GS-1)2 min read

Mahatma Gandhi Launches the Historic Dandi Salt March

On 12 March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi set out from Sabarmati Ashram with 78 volunteers, igniting the Salt Satyagraha that electrified global public opinion against British colonial monopoly.

Historical Context & Background (GS-1)

The British Salt Act of 1882 gave government monopoly on collection and manufacture of salt, imposing a regressive tax that hit the poorest hardest. Gandhi's march turned this into a moral confrontation.

High-Yield Prelims Takeaways

124-Day Epic March

24-Day Epic March: 78 chosen satyagrahis marched 240 miles (385 km) from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi on Gujarat coast.

2Universal Symbol

Universal Symbol: Salt was chosen because it was an essential consumable used by all strata of society, exposing the cruelty of British colonial taxation.

UPSC Mains Analytical Perspective

UPSC Mains (GS Paper 1): The Dandi March demonstrated Gandhi's genius in symbolic communication, mobilizing women, peasants, and youth while shattering the myth of British administrative invulnerability.

On This Day Practice MCQ

UPSC GS Paper 1

With reference to the historical significance of Mahatma Gandhi Launches the Historic Dandi Salt March, consider the core principles and facts associated with this event. Which statement correctly identifies its constitutional or strategic outcome?