The correct option is 1 and 2 only
Explanation
Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930 by breaking the salt law. The choice of salt was a strategic masterstroke because it linked a universal daily necessity with the abstract concept of national sovereignty. The Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March) began on March 12, 1930, from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: Salt was a commodity used by every Indian household, regardless of caste, creed, or economic status. By choosing salt, Gandhi ensured that the movement would resonate with the poorest of the poor as well as the elite, making it a true mass movement.
- Statement 2 is Correct: The British government held a strict monopoly over the manufacture and sale of salt. The India Salt Act of 1882 prohibited Indians from collecting or making salt, even for domestic use, forcing them to buy it at higher prices from the government. This interference in a basic necessity was deeply unpopular and viewed as unjust.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: While the salt tax was a significant burden on the poor (amounting to a large percentage of their income), it did not generate the highest revenue for the British Empire. Land revenue remained the single largest source of income for the colonial state. The salt tax contributed a smaller, though substantial, portion (approximately 8.2% of total revenue).
- Statement 4 is Incorrect: The British administration did not encourage local production. On the contrary, the colonial policy was to suppress local salt manufacturing to protect the government monopoly and the import of British salt. Manufacturing salt was a criminal offense punishable by law.
Key Takeaway
Salt was chosen as the symbol of protest because it was a non-divisive, universal grievance that directly affected the poor, thereby uniting the entire nation against British exploitation without alienating any specific community.