- Passage 1
Why the Salt Satyagraha?
Why was salt the symbol of protest? This is what Mahatma Gandhi wrote: The volume of information being gained daily shows how wickedly the salt tax has been designed. In order to prevent the use of salt that has not paid the tax which is at times even fourteen times its value, the Government destroys the salt it cannot sell profitably. Thus, it taxes the nation’s vital necessity; it prevents the public from manufacturing it and destroys what nature manufactures without effort. No adjective is strong enough for characterizing this wicked dog-in-the-manger policy. From various sources I hear tales of such wanton destruction of the nation’s property in all parts of India. Maunds if not tons of salt are said to be destroyed on the Konkan coast. The same tale comes from Dandi. Wherever there is likelihood of natural salt being taken away by the people living in the neighbourhood of such areas for their personal use, salt officers are posted for the sole purpose of carrying on destruction. Thus, valuable national property is destroyed at national expense and salt taken out of the mouths of the people. The salt monopoly is thus a fourfold curse. It deprives the people of a valuable easy village industry, involves wanton destruction of property that nature produces in abundance, the destruction itself means more national expenditure, and fourthly, to crown this folly, an unheard-of tax of more than 1,000 per cent is exacted from a starving people. This tax has remained so long because of the apathy of the general public. Now that it is sufficiently roused, the tax has to go. How soon it will be abolished depends upon the strength the people.
THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI (CWMG)
Questions / Answer:
Question 1: What was the main reason behind the Salt Satyagraha according to Mahatma Gandhi?
Answer: The main reason behind the Salt Satyagraha was the oppressive salt tax imposed by the British government, which Gandhi considered wickedly designed and a fourfold curse on the Indian population.
Question 2: Why did Gandhi view the salt tax as a curse?
Answer: Gandhi viewed the salt tax as a curse because it deprived people of a valuable village industry, led to the wanton destruction of abundant natural property, incurred unnecessary national expenditure, and imposed an unheard-of tax of more than 1,000 per cent on a starving population.
Question 3: How did the government enforce the salt tax, according to Gandhi?
Answer: The government enforced the salt tax by preventing the public from manufacturing salt and destroying salt that had not paid the tax, even if it meant destroying Maunds if not tons of salt in different parts of India.
Question 4: What role did public apathy play in sustaining the salt tax?
Answer: The salt tax persisted due to the apathy of the general public. Gandhi believed that the tax could only be abolished when the people were sufficiently roused and exerted their strength.
Question 5: What impact did the Salt Satyagraha aim to achieve?
Answer: The Salt Satyagraha aimed to abolish the oppressive salt tax imposed by the British government, end the destruction of natural salt resources, and restore the people’s right to access and manufacture salt without exorbitant taxation.
- Passage 2
“Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law”
On 5 April 1930, Mahatma Gandhi spoke at Dandi: When I left Sabarmati with my companions for this seaside hamlet of Dandi, I was not certain in my mind that we would be allowed to reach this place. Even while I was at Sabarmati there was a rumour that I might be arrested. I had thought that the Government might perhaps let my party come as far as Dandi, but not me certainly. If someone says that this betrays imperfect faith on my part, I shall not deny the charge. That I have reached here is in no small measure due to the power of peace and non-violence: that power is universally felt. The Government may, if it wishes, congratulate itself on acting as it has done, for it could have arrested every one of us. In saying that it did not have the courage to arrest this army of peace, we praise it. It felt ashamed to arrest such an army. He is a civilised man who feels ashamed to do anything which his neighbours would disapprove. The Government deserves to be congratulated on not arresting us, even if it desisted only from fear of world opinion. Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law. Whether the Government will tolerate that is a different question. It may not tolerate it, but it deserves congratulations on the patience and forbearance it has displayed in regard to this party. … What if I and all the eminent leaders in Gujarat and in the rest of the country are arrested? This movement is based on the faith that when a whole nation is roused and on the march no leader is necessary.
Questions / Answer:
Question 1: What event was Mahatma Gandhi anticipating on April 5, 1930, at Dandi?
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi was anticipating breaking the salt tax law on April 5, 1930, at Dandi.
Question 2: Why was Gandhi uncertain about reaching Dandi?
Answer: Gandhi was uncertain about reaching Dandi due to rumors of possible arrest, and he even doubted whether the government would let his party reach Dandi.
Question 3: What power does Gandhi attribute to his ability to reach Dandi?
Answer: Gandhi attributes the power of peace and non-violence to his ability to reach Dandi, stating that this power is universally felt.
Question 4: How does Gandhi praise the government’s actions regarding his party’s march to Dandi?
Answer: Gandhi praises the government for not arresting the non-violent marchers, suggesting that it deserves congratulations for not taking such action, perhaps out of fear of world opinion.
Question 5: What does Gandhi express about the potential arrest of leaders, including himself?
Answer: Gandhi expresses the belief that the movement is based on the faith that when a whole nation is roused and, on the march, no leader is necessary. He contemplates the possibility of arrest but emphasizes the collective nature of the movement.
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