Prepare a seminar paper on the significance of the Civil Disobedience Movement in the freedom struggle.

On 31^st January Gandhiji addressed an ultimatum (11 demands) to Viceroy Lord Irwin, asking him to remove the evils policies of the British and informed of his decision to undertake Dandi Satyagraha wherein the laws of the government would be violated.

The list of demands consisted of the following:

1. Introduce total prohibition on intoxicants and liquors

2. Reduce the rate of land revenue by 50%

3. Abolition of the salt tax and Salt monopoly

4. Reduce military expenditure

5. Reduce expenditure on civil administration

6. Impose custom duty on foreign clothes

7. Accept the Postal Reservation Bill

8. Abolish the CID department

9. Release all political prisoners

10. Provide licenses of arms for self-protection

11. Reduce the exchange rate between rupee and sterling

The Civil Disobedience Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi when the British Government not given a positive response on his eleven demands. Hence, Gandhiji had decided to make salt the central formula for the Civil Disobedience Movement and initiated salt satyagraha. This movement ideology is of disobeying government laws, demands and commands. Along with this activity, the activities like no tax campaign, no revenue and no rent (land tax) campaign became very popular in different parts of India.

SALT SATYAGRAHA’s main ideology was to do a non-violent protest against the British law on putting a heavy tax on salt. Gandhiji started his march along with some Satyagrahis and reached Dandi on 6^th April 1930 and inaugurated the civil disobedience movement by manually making salt on the shores of Dandi.

This movement was to remain unmatched in the history of the Indian national movement for the country-wide mass participation that it unleashed as a result. Nearly 90,000 people from all over India participated wholeheartedly in this movement. Significantly, for all the Indian women, this movement has marked their entry into public space. Several groups participated in this movement from Rich to Poor and from Business class to Industrial class workers.

As a result of this Salt march, Gandhiji met the Viceroy Lord Irwin on March 1930 and signed an agreement known as the “Gandhi – Irwin Pact”. The two main clauses of the pact are

• Congress participation in the Round Table

• Conference and cessation on the Civil Disobedience movement

Gandhiji along with Sarojini Naidu attended the Second Round Table Conference in London. At this Conference, Gandhiji claimed that the Congress represented more than 85% of the Indian population. Gandhi's claim was not endorsed by the British officials and also the Muslim representative in the conference. The Second Round Table was a failure for the Indians and Gandhi returned to the country without any positive hope. The political scene in India thereafter was very unpleasant.

The Congress committee took the decision to restart The Civil Disobedience Movement as the British government was not prepared to co-operate to any of their views. Gandhiji resumed the movement in January 1932 and called the entire nation to join in.

As a result, the British government made several ordinances to suppress the movement and situation in India. The police were given the power to arrest any persons, even on the basis of mere suspicion. Sardar Patel, the president of Congress and Gandhiji was arrested along with other Congress members from all over India. Gandhiji started his twenty-one days of fast on 8^th May 1933 to make amends of the sins committed against the untouchables by the caste Hindus. The Civil Disobedience Movement was suspended, when Gandhiji withdrew mass satyagraha on July 14^th 1933. The movement ceased completely on April 7^th, 1934.

Although the Civil Disobedience Movement was failed to achieve any positive outcome again British rule, it was an important moment in the history of Independence. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, India had a beneficial impact throughout the nation. The Congress was united under the support of The Civil Disobedience Movement which was led by Gandhiji. Satyagraha put a firm footing and ideology among vast number of people in this movement. Lastly, Indian rediscovered its inherent strength and confidence to fight against the British rule for their freedom from this Civil Disobedience Movement.