CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT

➢ INTRODUCTION-

A pivotal moment in the Indian Nationalist movement was the civil disobedience movement.
The Civil Disobedience Movement began with Mahatma Gandhi’s well-known Dandi March.
Gandhi set out on foot from the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on March 12, 1930, with
78 other Ashram members for Dandi, a village on India’s western seacoast about 385
kilometres from Ahmedabad. On April 6, 1930, they arrived in Dandi.

➢ OBJECTIVE-
1. Resist British rule and deliberately violating laws deemed unjust.
2. Protest against British salt monopoly and taxes, demand for complete independence.

➢ TIME PERIOD – 1930-1934

➢ LEADERS –Some important leaders associated with the Civil Disobedience Movement:

LEADERS ROLE/CONTRIBUTION

Mahatma Gandhi Leader of the movement; led the Salt March

from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, inspiring
mass participation across India.

Sarojini Naidu Accompanied Gandhi during the Salt March;

played a key role in mobilizing women and
addressing gatherings.

C. Rajagopalachari Led the Salt March in the southeastern

coastal region of Vedaranyam, paralleling
Gandhi’s actions in Gujarat.

Kasturba Gandhi Participated actively in the protests,

especially in demonstrations related to the
salt laws and other British-imposed

1
 restrictions.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Leader of the Khudai Khidmatgar (Red

Shirts) in the Northwest Frontier Province;
promoted nonviolence.

➢ PLACES- Some important places associated with the Civil Disobedience Movement:

PLACE SIGNIFICANCE

Sabarmati Ashram Starting point of the Salt March led by

Gandhi, symbolizing the beginning of the
movement.

Dandi Final destination of the Salt March, where

Gandhi famously broke the salt laws.

Darshana Site of significant protests and

demonstrations against British rule in
Gujarat.

Malabar Region in Kerala where the movement saw

widespread participation and resistance to
British rule.

Bardoli Site of the Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928 led by

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a successful protest
against the increased land revenue levied by
the British.

Tamil Nadu Strong support base for the movement, with

various acts of civil disobedience and
protests.

Bengal Witnessed large-scale boycotts, protests, and

2
 nonviolent resistance against British
authorities.

➢ BACKGROUND-
1. Culcutta Session (1928): The Indian National Congress (INC) held its annual session in
Culcutta in 1928. During this session, the INC passed a resolution demanding Dominion
Status for India, which was rejected by the British government.
2. Irwin Declaration (1930): To placate Indian nationalists, Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of
India, made a non-legal declaration to facilitate dominion status to India. The statement
was regarding India's place in the British Empire.

1. Round Table Conference: A Round Table Conference was promised following the
Simon Commission's report submission.
2. No Timeline: Non-mentioning of any timeline for the dominion status in the
declarations frustrated the Congress, leading to the announcement of the Purna
Swaraj resolution in the Lahore session.

3. Delhi Manifesto (1931): Following the failure of the Round Table Conferences to resolve
the Indian constitutional issue, the INC issued the Delhi Manifesto in March 1931.

1. Immediate adoption of the basic principle of dominion status.

2. Majority representation of the Congress at the conference.

3. An all-encompassing amnesty for political prisoners

The manifesto reaffirmed the INC's commitment to complete independence and rejected
the British government's proposals as inadequate.

4. Lahore Session (1929): The Lahore session of the INC, held in December 1929, is
famous for the passing of the historic resolution for complete independence (Purna
Swaraj) as its ultimate goal. Independence Day pledge: It was decided to take the pledge
on 26 January 1930, and it was decided that 26 January would be celebrated as
Independence Day every year. Launch of Civil Disobedience Movement: It was
announced that the movement would be started under the leadership of Gandhi.

3
5. Salt Tax:

The British government imposed a tax on salt, a basic necessity, which severely affected
the Indian population, particularly the poor. The salt tax symbolized British economic
exploitation and was seen as a symbol of colonial oppression.

➢ METHOD-
• Non-violent Resistance
• Civil disobedience

➢ DEMANDS

Looking for an effective formula, Gandhi proposed a minimum demand of 11 points to the
British to accept or reject until January 31, 1930, which included:

• Reduce rupee-sterling ratio to 1s 4d

• Reduce Agricultural tax by 50% and make it a subject of legislative control
• Eliminate the government's monopoly on salt and abolish the salt tax
• Reduce military expenditure and salaries of highest-grade services
• Release all political prisoners
• Reform in the Criminal Investigation Department
• Accept Postal Reservation Bill
• Protect Indian Textiles
• Prohibition of intoxicants

➢ FEATURES
One of the distinctive features of the Civil Disobedience Movement was the scale of
participation that it witnessed. The movement successfully mobilized people across all
sections of society - from the urban intelligentsia to rural farmers.
Some crucial features of the Civil Disobedience Movement:

1. Mass Participation: The movement witnessed participation from a vast section of

society, making it a mass movement in the truest sense.

4
 2. Non-Violent Nature: True to Gandhi's philosophy of Satyagraha, the movement
maintained a non-violent approach throughout, advocating peaceful methods to
protest against British rule.

3. Wide-ranging Boycotts: The movement saw widespread boycotts of British goods,

services, and institutions. There was an extensive campaign to promote Swadeshi
(indigenous) goods.

4. Inclusion of Women: The Civil Disobedience Movement was notable for the active
participation of women, a feature not prevalent in previous movements.

5. Global Impact: The movement had a profound impact globally. The peaceful method
of protest resonated with global audiences, bringing international attention to India's
fight for independence.

➢ EFFECTS-
1. 60,000 people including Gandhiji arrested
2. Civil disobedience movement carried on by the peoples apart from the salt tax other
unpopular tax laws were being defied into forest laws , lands laws etc.
3. Suppressed movement with more laws and censorship
4. Many others leaders led similar march movement in Tamil Nadu (Rajagopalchari),
Malabar region (k.kelappan), Peshawar (Abdul Ghaffar khan)
5. Thousands of women participate in this movement including famous female leaders
Sarojini Nadu, Kasturba Ghandhi etc.
6. Foreign clothes were boycotted and liquor shops were picked

➢ DHARASANA SALT MOVEMENT -

Dharasana Satyagraha was a protest against the British salt tax in colonial India in May,
1930.After the conclusion of the Salt March to Dandi, Mahatma Gandhi chose a non-violent
raid of the Dharasana Salt Works in Gujarat as the next protest against the rule of the British
Raj.But before it, he was arrested by Police. In the absence of Gandhi Ji, this unfinished task
was completed by Sarojini Naidu, Imam Saheb and Manilal. Two satyagrahis lost their lives
while several others were beaten by Indian soldiers under British command at Dharasana.

5
➢ REPRESSION

1. Arrests and Imprisonment: Thousands of activists, including Mahatma Gandhi and

other leaders of the Indian National Congress, were arrested and imprisoned for
participating in acts of civil disobedience. The British government sought to weaken the
movement by detaining its leaders and prominent activists, but this often had the opposite
effect, galvanizing public support for the cause.
2. Police Brutality: The police employed brutal tactics to suppress protests and
demonstrations, including baton charges, tear gas, and even firing on unarmed crowds.
Instances of police violence, such as the brutal crackdown on the Dharasana Satyagraha,
garnered widespread condemnation and served to highlight the moral bankruptcy of
colonial rule.
3. Censorship and Repression of Media: The British authorities-imposed censorship on
newspapers and media outlets to control the flow of information and prevent the spread of
dissent. Journalists and publishers critical of colonial policies were harassed, arrested, or
intimidated into silence.

➢ CALLED OFF- Gandhi – Irwin Pact (1928-29) -called off by Gandhi ji

1. Allowed to make salt for domestic use.
2. Released the arrested all Indians
3. Attended the second-round table conference

➢ OUTCOMES –
• The Civil Disobedience Movement mobilized millions of Indians, particularly from
marginalized communities. It gave them a voice and a sense of agency in the struggle for
freedom.

• The movement's emphasis on equality and inclusion challenged the rigid caste system. It
promoted social upliftment and unity among different social groups.

• The movement witnessed unprecedented participation of women. This broke the

traditional gender barriers and empowered them in the fight for independence.

• The movement's widespread defiance of British laws and policies weakened the moral
authority of the colonial administration.

6
• The movement's success fueled the spirit of nationalism and resistance. It unified Indians
against British rule. Gandhi’s non-violent methods and the movement's impact drew
international attention to India's cause for independence.

• The movement's boycotts of British goods and institutions significantly impacted the
colonial economy.

• The emphasis on self-reliance and the use of Indian goods boosted the domestic economy.
It fostered a sense of economic nationalism.

➢ LIMITATIONS OF THE SALT SATYAGRAHA

1. The movement's impact was primarily concentrated in urban areas and certain regions. It
had less participation from rural areas.
2. The response of some Muslim political organisations in India to the Civil Disobedience
Movement was equally less. The main reason behind this was the non-cooperation during
the Khilafat movement.
3. The movement faced challenges in maintaining momentum over an extended period,
particularly in the face of repression and internal divisions.
4. The movement weakened British authority. However, it did not immediately lead to
drastic changes in colonial policies.
5. The rise of radical movements advocating for more aggressive methods of resistance
posed a challenge to the Civil Disobedience Movement's non-violent approach.

➢ CONCLUSION

The civil disobedience movement had far-reaching consequences. It sowed discontent with
the British administration, established the groundwork for the independence movement, and
popularized new propaganda techniques. The government abolished the onerous salt tax after
the disobedience of many laws in various states and the refusal to pay taxes In Eastern parts
of India. The main reason the Salt Satyagraha failed was the lack of unity among Indians.

7
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Bipan Chandra, History of modern India, 2009

2. Sumit Sarkar, Modern India, 2014
3. Rajiv Ahir, A brief of history of modern India ,2018-2019
4. Bipin Chandra, India's struggle for independence,1988
5. https://testbook.com/ias-preparation/civil-disobedience-movement
6. https://www.studyiq.com/articles/civil-disobedience-movement/