Question

"The Salt March of 1930 was the first event that brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention." Explain the significance of this movement for Swaraj.

Answer 1

The Salt March was a significant event because it was the first event which brought Gandhi to world attention. The European and American press covered the Salt March. After the march began, the American magazine Time was deeply sceptical, but as the March progressed, Time began to publish positive reports about it. It wrote that the massive following of the march made the British rulers desperately anxious. They in fact saluted Gandhi as a ‘Saint’ and ‘Statesman’, who was using ‘Christian acts as a weapon against men with Christian beliefs’. The wide attention provided to the leadership of Gandhi during the march also made people across nations sympathetic to the national movement of India.

The Salt March was a significant event which hastened the country’s steps towards Swaraj. It was the first nationalist activity in which women actively participated in large numbers. They broke salt laws and picketed liquor shops. The participation of women made the movement stronger. The Salt March also made the British realise that their rule would not last forever and they have to give some kind of powers to Indians.