In the Indian national movement, which major mass movement against British rule began with Mahatma Gandhi famous Dandi March in 1930?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Civil Disobedience Movement

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
The Dandi March, also known as the Salt March, is one of the most iconic events of the Indian freedom struggle. In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi led a march from Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi in Gujarat to break the British salt law by making salt from seawater. This symbolic act was not an isolated protest but the starting point of a larger all India campaign. Exam questions frequently ask which major movement formally began with this march.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The event mentioned is the Dandi March of 1930.
  • The question asks which movement began with this march.
  • Options include Civil Disobedience, Quit India, Non Cooperation, Home Rule and Swadeshi movements.
  • We assume the standard chronological framework of the Indian national movement.


Concept / Approach:
The Dandi March was the opening act of the Civil Disobedience Movement. After reaching Dandi and breaking the salt law, Gandhi call for nationwide defiance of various British laws, including refusal to pay taxes and non cooperation with unjust regulations. The Non Cooperation Movement had already taken place earlier, from 1920 to 1922. The Quit India Movement came later in 1942, and the Home Rule and Swadeshi movements were pre Gandhian or early Gandhian phases. Therefore, linking the Dandi March specifically with the Civil Disobedience Movement is the correct approach.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Dandi March took place in March and April of 1930. Step 2: Remember that Gandhi used the issue of the salt tax to launch a broader campaign of law breaking against British rule. Step 3: Identify this broader campaign as the Civil Disobedience Movement, which involved non payment of taxes and violation of various laws. Step 4: Confirm that the Non Cooperation Movement belongs to the earlier period of 1920 to 1922 and that Quit India started in 1942. Step 5: Select Civil Disobedience Movement as the correct answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
Any timeline of the Indian national movement will show that after the failure of the Simon Commission and the Nehru Report debates, the Congress adopted the goal of complete independence and planned a campaign of civil disobedience. Gandhi was appointed to lead it, and he chose the salt law as the starting point. Textbooks consistently state that the Dandi March launched the Civil Disobedience Movement. They describe how the march inspired mass participation across India and led to widespread arrests. This repeated narrative verifies that the movement which began with the Dandi March was the Civil Disobedience Movement.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Option B: Quit India Movement was launched in 1942 with the slogan do or die and was not connected to the Dandi March.
  • Option C: Non Cooperation Movement occurred earlier, from 1920 to 1922, and ended after the Chauri Chaura incident.
  • Option D: Home Rule Movement was led by leaders like Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak before Gandhi mass movements.
  • Option E: Swadeshi Movement is associated with the partition of Bengal in 1905 and predates the Dandi March by many years.


Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the Civil Disobedience Movement with the Non Cooperation Movement because both involve mass participation and Gandhian techniques. The easiest way to distinguish them is by their starting events and dates. Non Cooperation begins after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Khilafat issue, while Civil Disobedience starts with the Dandi March in 1930. Keeping a simple chronological chart of major movements with key triggers such as salt law, Jallianwala Bagh and the Second World War will help you avoid such confusion in exams.


Final Answer:
The correct answer is Civil Disobedience Movement.

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