The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) was the second great mass movement led by Gandhi (after Non-Cooperation, 1920–22). Launched on March 12, 1930 with the iconic Dandi March (Salt March), it called on Indians to deliberately violate British laws — particularly the salt tax — as an act of moral resistance. The movement marked the Congress's demand shifting from dominion status to Purna Swaraj (complete independence) and brought unprecedented international attention to India's freedom struggle.
For UPSC, the CDM is one of the most examined topics in Modern History — the Dandi March, Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Round Table Conferences, and the movement's phases are all standard questions.
Background: Road to Civil Disobedience
Nehru Report (1928)
In response to the Simon Commission (1927, all-white), the Congress prepared its own constitutional framework — the Nehru Report (August 1928), drafted by a committee under Motilal Nehru:
- Demanded dominion status (self-governance within the British Empire)
- Fundamental rights including universal suffrage
- Responsible government at the centre and in provinces
- Joint electorates with reserved seats for minorities
Key reaction: Younger leaders, particularly Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, rejected dominion status and demanded complete independence (Purna Swaraj).
Purna Swaraj Resolution (December 31, 1929)
At the Lahore Congress session (December 1929), presided by Jawaharlal Nehru:
- The Congress adopted the Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) resolution
- January 26, 1930 was celebrated as the first Independence Day (Purna Swaraj Divas) — which is why January 26 was later chosen as Republic Day
- Gandhi was authorised to launch civil disobedience at a time and in a manner of his choosing
Why Salt?
Gandhi chose the salt tax as the focus of civil disobedience for strategic reasons:
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Universal impact | Salt was used by every Indian — rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, urban and rural |
| Visible injustice | The British monopoly on salt production and the tax on it was clearly unjust — salt was freely available from the sea |
| Easy to violate | Anyone near the coast could make salt by evaporating seawater — a simple, non-violent act of defiance |
| Moral clarity | Taxing an essential commodity used by the poorest was morally indefensible |
| Mass participation | Unlike boycotting foreign cloth (which required alternatives), making salt required nothing but seawater and sunshine |
Phase 1: The Dandi March and Mass Civil Disobedience (March–May 1930)
The Dandi March (March 12 – April 5, 1930)
On March 12, 1930, Gandhi and 78 followers set out from Sabarmati Ashram (Ahmedabad) on a 390 km march to the coastal village of Dandi (Gujarat).
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Start | Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad (March 12) |
| End | Dandi, Gujarat (April 5) |
| Distance | ~390 km |
| Duration | 24 days |
| Participants | Started with 78; thousands joined along the route |
| Gandhi's age | 61 years old |
On the morning of April 6, 1930, Gandhi picked up a handful of natural salt from the shore at Dandi — symbolically breaking the British salt law. He declared: "With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire."
Spread of the Movement
After Dandi, civil disobedience spread across India:
Salt law violation: Thousands of Indians began making salt on the coasts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra, and Bengal.
Dharasana Salt Works (May 21, 1930): After Gandhi’s arrest (May 5), the raid on the Dharasana Salt Works was led by Sarojini Naidu and Abbas Tyabji. Unarmed satyagrahis walked toward the salt depot and were beaten by police without retaliating. American journalist Webb Miller (United Press) reported the scene, and his account — published globally — was devastating for British credibility.
Other forms of civil disobedience:
- Boycott of foreign cloth and liquor
- Non-payment of taxes (particularly in Bardoli and other Gujarat districts)
- Picketing of shops selling foreign goods
- Resignations from government service
- Forest law violations in Maharashtra and Central Provinces
Government Response
- Over 90,000 people were arrested during the movement (Congress estimate)
- Press censorship imposed
- Congress declared illegal; assets seized
- Gandhi arrested on May 5, 1930
- Violent repression in the NWFP (against Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan's "Khudai Khidmatgar" — the Frontier Gandhi's non-violent movement)
Phase 2: Gandhi-Irwin Pact and Pause (1931)
The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 5, 1931)
Viceroy Lord Irwin negotiated with Gandhi to end the movement. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact included:
| Provision | Details |
|---|---|
| Release of political prisoners | Those arrested for non-violent offences during CDM |
| Return of confiscated properties | Government property seizures reversed |
| Permission to make salt | For personal use in coastal areas |
| Withdrawal of CDM | Congress agreed to suspend civil disobedience |
| Congress participation in Round Table Conference | Gandhi would attend the Second RTC as Congress representative |
What was NOT included: No commitment to independence, no constitutional concessions, no inquiry into police excesses.
Criticism: Many Congress members felt Gandhi had bargained from a position of strength and got too little. Bhagat Singh‘s execution (March 23, 1931) — just days before the Pact — led to anger that Gandhi had not demanded a commutation of his sentence.
Second Round Table Conference (September–December 1931)
Gandhi attended the Second Round Table Conference in London as the sole Congress representative. The conference failed to achieve any significant breakthrough:
- The communal question (Hindu-Muslim representation) deadlocked the discussions
- Gandhi insisted he represented all of India; Muslim, Dalit, and Sikh representatives disagreed
- No agreement on constitutional framework
Phase 3: Resumption and Decline (1932–34)
Gandhi returned from London in December 1931. The new Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, adopted a hard-line approach — arresting Gandhi and other Congress leaders before the CDM could be formally relaunched.
The movement resumed in January 1932 but was weaker:
- Many leaders were already in prison
- The government had prepared with stronger repressive measures
- The Communal Award (1932) and the Poona Pact (1932) — dealing with separate electorates for Dalits — diverted Congress's attention
- Gandhi suspended the movement in May 1933 and formally withdrew it in April 1934
Impact of the Civil Disobedience Movement
Political Impact
- International attention: The Dandi March and Dharasana put India's freedom struggle on the front pages of global newspapers
- Mass politicisation: Millions of Indians participated — the movement was broader than Non-Cooperation, reaching peasants, tribal communities, and women in large numbers
- Women's participation: CDM saw unprecedented women's participation — picketing, salt-making, organizing. Sarojini Naidu, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, and thousands of unnamed women were central
- Frontier mobilisation: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan's Khudai Khidmatgar brought the NWFP (Pashtun areas) into the Congress fold
Economic Impact
- British cloth imports dropped significantly
- Salt tax revenue declined
- Indian-made (khadi) cloth gained market share
Limitations
- Hindu-Muslim gap: Muslim participation was lower than in Non-Cooperation/Khilafat (1920–22)
- No constitutional concession: The movement did not extract any significant British concession — unlike the Gandhi-Irwin Pact's symbolic provisions
- Exhaustion: Two suspensions (1931, 1934) created fatigue and disillusionment
UPSC Relevance
GS1 (Modern History): CDM, Dandi March, Gandhi-Irwin Pact, RTCs, Purna Swaraj.
Key Prelims facts:
- Purna Swaraj resolution: Lahore Congress, December 1929 (Nehru as president)
- First Independence Day: January 26, 1930
- Dandi March: March 12 – April 6, 1930 (Sabarmati to Dandi, 390 km)
- 78 marchers started with Gandhi
- Gandhi arrested: May 5, 1930
- Dharasana raid: May 21, 1930 (Sarojini Naidu led)
- Gandhi-Irwin Pact: March 5, 1931
- Second RTC: Sept–Dec 1931 (Gandhi attended)
- CDM formally withdrawn: April 1934
- ~90,000 arrested during the movement
- Frontier Gandhi: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Khudai Khidmatgar)
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