Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Why the Salt Satyagraha?
Why was salt the symbol of protest? This is what Mahatma Gandhi wrote: The volume of information being gained daily shows how wickedly the salt tax has been designed. In order to prevent the use of salt that has not paid the tax which is at times even fourteen times its value, the Government destroys the salt it cannot sell profitably. Thus, it taxes the nation’s vital necessity: it prevents the public from manufacturing it and destroys what nature manufactures without effort. No adjective is strong enough for characterising this wicked dog-in-the-manger policy. From various sources I hear tales of such wanton destruction of the nation’s property in all parts of India. Maunds if not tons of salt are said to be destroyed on the Konkan coast. The same tale comes from Dandi. Wherever there is likelihood of natural salt being taken away by the people living in the neighbourhood of such areas for their personal use, salt officers are posted for the sole purpose of destruction. Thus, valuable national property is destroyed at national expense and salt taken out of the mouths of the people.
The salt monopoly is thus a fourfold curse. It deprives the people of a valuable easy village industry, involves wanton destruction of property that nature produces in abundance, the destruction itself means more national expenditure, and fourthly to frown this folly, an unheard-of tax of more than 1,000 per cent is extracted from a starving people.
This tax has remained so long because of the apathy of the general public. Now that is sufficiently roused, the tax has to go. How soon it will be abolished depends upon the strength of the people.
(i) Why was salt monopoly introduced by the British considered as a curse by the Indians?
(ii) How did Gandhiji illustrate his tactical wisdom with regard to salt monopoly?
(iii) Explain the significance of Gandhiji’s challenge of salt protest.
Salt monopoly was considered as a curse by the Indians because of the following reasons:
a. Salt can be obtained from nature and can be manufactured by anyone. It is common to all nationalities and sections. Hence, levying tax on its production increased the price of such natural product to even fourteen per cent. The British Government destroyed the salt which it could not sell at a huge profit. It deprives the people of a village industry.
(ii) The following are the ways by which Gandhiji illustrate his tactical wisdom with regard to salt monopoly:
a. He first said that a commodity produced by nature at free of cost is taxed.
b. Salt is a common item which is necessary from rich to poor and the tax levied on salt affect them alike.
c. He created solidarity against the British rule and mobilized a mass movement against the levy of tax on salt.
(iii) The significance of Gandhiji’s challenge of salt protest can be understood from the following:
a. He made people realise that salt is an indispensable item of every household.
b. Salt is freely available in nature and levying tax on such a product affect both rich and poor alike.
c. In the protest against the British on Salt monopoly, women’s participation was seen in large numbers.
d. It made the British realise that their domination in India could not last long.
e. People began to oppose the British and broke the salt law.
Couldn't generate an explanation.
Generated by AI. May contain inaccuracies — always verify with your textbook.