question_answer

Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow:

?Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law?

On 5 April, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi spoke at Dandi:

When I left Sabarmati with my companions for this seaside hamlet of Dandi, I was not certain in my mind that we would be allowed to reach this place. Even while I was at Sabarmati there was a rumour that I might be arrested. I had thought that the Government might perhaps let my party come as far as Dandi, but not me certainly. If someone says that this betrays imperfect faith on my part, I shall not deny the charge. That I have reached here is in no small measure due to the power of peace and non-violence: that power is universally felt. The Government may, if it wishes, congratulate itself on acting as it has done, for it could have arrested every one of us. In saying that it did not have the courgae to arrest this army of peace, we praise it. It felt ashamed to arrest such an army He is a civilised man who feels ashamed to do anything which his neighbours would disapprove. The Government deserves to be congratulated on not arresting us, even if it desisted only from fear of world opinion.

Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law. Whether the Government will tolerate that is a different question. It may not tolerate it, but it deserves congratulations on the patience and forbearance it has displayed in regard to this party...... What if I and all the eminent leaders in Gujarat and in the rest of the country are arrested? This movement is based on the faith that when a whole nation is roused and on the march no leader is necessary.

(i) What were the apprehensions of Mahatma Gandhi when he started his Dandi March?

(ii) Why did Gandhiji say that the Government deserved to be congratulated?

(iii) Why was the ?Salt March? very significant?

Answer:

(i) He was not certain that he would be allowed to reach Dandi. Gandhiji suspected he might be arrested, as he said, ?Government might perhaps let my party come as far as Dandi but not me certainly?.

(ii) The Government deserved to be congratulated on acting as, it did, for it could have arrested everyone but it did not have the courage to arrest an army of peace.

(iii) ?Salt March? was very significant:

(a) It broke the law of salt top.

(b) It showed that the nation was roused and on the march, no leader was necessary.

(c) It was a great action by the people of India under the leadership of Gandhiji against the British rule.