Civil Disobedience Movement
The Civil Disobedience Movement by Gandhi in 1930 was a significant milestone in the India's freedom struggle marking a decisive shift towards mass civil resistance against the British colonial rule. The movement which began with the historic Dandi March was a result of a series of political, economic and other development that took place during the years before 1930s. The appointment of the Simon Commission in 1927 aroused the nationalist sentiment among the Indians. In response to the Simon Commission, the INC held it's annual session in Madras in 1927 where it passed resolution calling for the boycott of the commission. The congress proposed a Nehru report 1928 outlying the demand for the dominion status for India within the British empire. However, the British government did not accept the Nehru report further deepening the crisis between the colonial administration and Indian leaders. The failure of the British government to respond positively to the Indian demands for constitutional reforms led to decisive shift in the approach of the INC. Finally, at the Lahore session in 1929 presided over by Jhawar Lal Nehru congress adopted a resolution declaring Purn Swaraj as its official goal. The session empowered Gandhi to launch a mass civil disobedience for achieving the goal. Gandhi launched the movement by breaking the Salt Law on 6th April 1930 at Dandi (Gujrat). The Civil Disobedience Movement of congress was the second great mass movement after Non-cooperation Movement under the Gandhian leadership. The movement made a wider impact on the people's mind and caused larger nationalist awakening and the spread of greater nationalist sentiment and ideas. The movement led to the widening struggle. It led to politicizations of various groups. Gandhi's statement "Sedition has become my religion" made during the launch of the movement reflected his view to defy the unjust British laws which were often level by British as sedition. Another major political significance of the movement was its manifestation in different forms in different part of the country. In this context one popular manifestation of Civil Disobedience Movement was Khudai Khidmatgar struggle of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) in north-west frontier province. Another important manifestation was anti chowkidari tax campaign in Bihar and Bengal. The movement was eventually suspended in 1933 and officially withdrawn in 1934. Finally it represented a crucial phase for the freedom struggle and created the larger background for the Government of India Act, 1935.