Question

Read the following source 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 a 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 carrying on 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 crown this folly, an unheard of tax of more than 1,000 per cent is exacted from a starving people. This tax has remained so long because of the apathy of the general public. Now that it is sufficiently roused, the tax has to go. How soon it will be abolished depends upon the strength of the people. The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG), Vol.49

1. Why was the salt law disliked by the masses? (1)
2. Why were salt officers appointed by the British Government? (1)
3. Why did Lord Irwin fail to understand the significance of the Salt March? (2)

Answer 1

1. • Salt was a necessary item for every Indian family.
   • The British charged very high taxes on salt, sometimes up to 1,000%, which made it too costly.
   • People were not permitted to make salt even for their own use.
   • Officials destroyed naturally available salt, which increased people’s anger.
   • Therefore, the salt law was considered unfair and exploitative.
2. • Salt officers were appointed to destroy salt that formed naturally.
   • Their main aim was to stop local people from collecting salt without paying tax.
   • This helped the government maintain control over salt production and protect its income.
   • They regularly patrolled coastal regions where natural salt was formed.
3. • Even though Gandhi informed in advance, Irwin did not take the action seriously.
   • He considered it unimportant and failed to understand its strong emotional and economic effect.
   • He could not realise that a basic necessity could bring people together.
   • The march later emerged as a strong symbol of protest and resistance.