Civil Disobedience movement (1930-34)
- In the prevailing atmosphere of restlessness, the annual session of the congress was held at Lahore in December 1929.
- During this session presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru congress passed the Poorna Swaraj resolution.
- Moreover, as the government failed to accept the Nehru report, the congress gave a call to launch the civil disobedience movement.
- The congress had also observed January 26, 1930 as the Day of Independence.
- Since then January 26th had been observed as a day of Independence every year.
- The same date later became the Republic day when the Indian constitution was enforced in 1950.
The Dandi March
- Thus, the stage was set for the second major struggle led by the congress.
- On 12th March 1930, Gandhi began his famous March to Dandi with his chosen 79 followers to break the salt laws.
- He reached the coast of Dandi on 5 April 1930 after marching a distance of 200 miles and on 6 April formally launched the civil disobedience movement by breaking the salt laws.
- On 9 April, Mahatma Gandhi laid out the programme of the movement which included making of salt in every village in violation of the existing salt laws; picketing by women before the shops selling liquor, opium and foreign clothes; organizing the bonfires of foreign clothes; spinning clothes by using charkha fighting untouchability; boycotting of schools and colleges by students and resigning form government jobs by the people.
- Over and above all these, the programme also called upon the people not to pay texes to the government.
- Soon, the movement spread to all parts of the country.
- Students, workers, farmers and women, all participated in this movement with great enthusiasm.
- As a reaction, the British government arrested important leaders of the congress and imprisoned them.