Religion Practice and Science of Non Violence

Author(s): O P Jaggi
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd

Page 83

Practice of Non-Violence
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Governor appointed a committee of inquiry, agreed to restore all the land that had been sold or forfeited, and re-instated the village officials who had resigned. When the committee of enquiry made its report, it 'substantially justified' the original complaints of the peasants, and recommended a tax increase less than that which had been assessed by the Government.
Bardoli was one of the most meticulously planned and executed satyagraha campaigns in India for it achieved exactly the objectives for which it was offered.
The Salt Satyagraha 1930-1931: The Salt satyagraha was part of the year-long civil disobedience movement from March 1930 to March 1931. While the ultimate objective of this civil disobedience was to procure complete independence for India, its immediate objective was the withdrawal of the Salt Acts through which the Government had a monopoly over the manufacture and sale of salt. The Salt Act was chosen for contravention by Gandhi in a general civil disobedience movement because it not only appeared to be basically unjust in itself, but also because it symbolized an unpopular, unrepresentative, and alien Government.
Gandhi urged the Viceroy, Lord Irwin on 2nd March 1930, for a negotiated settlement, failing which, he informed him, he planned to lead a march to the sea where satyagrahis would, in violation of the salt monopoly, prepare salt from sea water.
In the meanwhile, volunteers for satyagraha undertook courses of training and each one, for participation in the satyagraha, pledged: (1) a desire to join the civil resistance campaign for the independence of India undertaken by the National Congress; (2) to accept the creed of the Notional Congress, i.e., the attainment of complete independence by the people of India by all peaceful and legitimate means; (3) to be ready and willing to go to jail and undergo all other sufferings and penalties that may be inflicted on him in this campaign; (4) in case he is sent to jail, he shall not seek any monetary help for the family from the Congress funds; (5) and shall implicitly obey the orders of those who were in charge of the campaign.
Vallabhbhai Patel was entrusted with the task of preparing the route for the proposed 200 mile-long march.
On 12th March 1930, after receiving no assurance of the