The 'Uppu' (Salt) Satyagraham by Rajaji, 1930
Independence Day Special

S Balakrishnan *

Salt Satyagraha memorial, Vedaranyam

If it was Dandi march by Gandhiji on the western coast, it was Vedaranyam march by Rajaji on the eastern coast to break the Salt Law / Tax of the colonial British Indian Government. Nobody would have predicted that the humble salt ('uppu' in Tamil) would be the harbinger of the downfall of the British rule. But Gandhi, while picking up a lump of salt in his hand after the Dandi march, said, 'With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.' How true, indeed!

We are all too familiar with Gandhij's Dandi March, but there were also two other such salt satyagraha marches – one by Rajaji and the other by Sarojini Naidu. Gandhi's march started from Sabarmati ashram (near Ahmadabad) at 6.30 a.m. on 12th March 1930 and reached Dandi (also in Gujarat, near Surat) on 5th April 1930, after passing through 240 miles (385 kms).

At 8.30 a.m. the next day (6th April 1930), Gandhiji and the satyagrahis picked up handfuls of salt at Dandi, thus 'producing' salt and breaking the British law. Two tolas of salt (one tola = 11.7 gram), picked up and cleaned by Gandhi, was auctioned to Seth Ranchhod Shodhan, a mill owner from Ahmedabad, for Rs. 525/- after Gandhiji addressed a meeting.

The task of heading another such march to Dharasana (some 110 kms down south from Dandi along the west coast in Gujarat) was undertaken by Poet Sarojini Naidu and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, as Gandhiji had been arrested in early May. On 21st May 1930, this group attempted to pick up salt at Dharasana but ended up with dire consequences.

Rajaji's 'Uppu' Satyagraham-

In between, C. Rajagopalachari (popularly 'Rajaji' or just C.R.; he later became the Governor-General of Independent India from 21 June 1948 to 26 January 1950) organised a 'Uppu' (Salt) Satyagraham march from Trichy to Vedaranyam in Madras Presidency (both in Tamil Nadu State), starting on April 13, 1930 and concluding on April 28, covering 150 miles in all.

Rajaji had meticulously planned the Vedaranyam salt satyagraha. He undertook a quick tour of Tamil districts for three weeks before the march, informing the people about the proposed salt satyagraha march. Those willing to participate in the satyagraha movement were thoroughly screened; they were to be strict disciplinarians and followers of non-violence (ahimsa).

The march of Satyagrahis under the leadership of Rajaji started at 5 a.m. on 13th April 1930 from the bungalow of Dr. T.S.S. Rajan in Tiruchi/Trichy cantonment area. This bungalow is now with Postal Department, with a commemoration pillar there.

Rajaji's ability for sharp remarks was proved even during those tough days. As he was leading the marchers, the District Collector, J.A. Thorne, ICS, had issued an order prohibiting 'harbouring' the unlawful satyagrahis. Rajaji's quick and witty response was, "Thorns and thistles cannot stem this tide of freedom" (punning upon Thorne's name)!

The order only aroused more fervor among the people en route the march; food packets were found tied to tree branches and pots with solids & liquids were found buried in sand, with indications. The marchers were preaching Gandhian ideals on the way.

After covering the 150-mile-long route in 15 days in the scorching summer days, the marchers reached Vedaranyam on the evening of April 28, 1930.Fearing repression by British authorities, local landlords did not open the choultries (travellers' inns) under their control. But Vedarathnam Pillai was there!

The 33-year-old Congressman of a local salt trading family made boarding & lodging arrangements for the marchers, defying the ban. He had earlier conferred with Rajaji and assured all support for the final act in Vedaranyam. Rajaji and the 120 or so satyagrahis stayed in a makeshift camp (pandal).

There was even a group of seven persons which had specially come from Rangoon (Myanmar) to participate in the Satyagraha. Vedarathnam had readied this temporary camp on West Street of Vedaranyam town, nd named it 'Satyagraha Ashram'. This is now Rajaji Park.

At 3.30 a.m. on 30th April 1930, Rajaji and a 10-member group were secretly led in darkness through a short-cut route to the salt marsh at Agasthiampalli, two miles away from Vedaranyam. This was not pre-announced to the public to prevent police action. It was 6 a.m. when finally Rajaji and others collected salt at the salt marsh. A team of police under the S.P. arrived at the spot and arrested Rajaji alone.

He was produced before the local magistrate in the afternoon; the punishment was six months simple imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 200 or another three months in jail. Rajaji refused to pay, so it was additional three months. He was taken away to Tiruchirapalli (from where he started the satyagraha march) by train.

Fearing public reaction on Rajaji's arrest, a ban on public meetings and assembly of five or more persons was imposed in Vedaranyam. However, various leaders defied this order on subsequent days; they were all invariably arrested and sentenced to six months imprisonment.

However, the remaining satyagrahis, joined by a steady flow of Congress workers from different districts, continued their non-violent struggle till the end of May 1930, for a good one month. As the struggle did not seem to stop, police lost their patience and acted violently on the satyagrahis refusing to give up the extracted salt.

Then, on the last day, police razed down the temporary shelter named Satyagraha Ashram and arrested all the 300 leaderless satyagrahis. They were all sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment.

Vedarathinam Pillai, the local organizer who extended moral and material support to the movement, had to incur three types of punishment – confiscation of his land & property, fine and jail term. Born in a well-to-do family, Vedarathinam gave up everything for the country.

He was a true follower of Gandhi and Congress since his teenage. He spun his own khadi yarn. For his valuable support to Vedaranyam Uppu Satyagraham, he was awarded the title 'Sardar' (Commander).

No doubt the uppu satyagraham of Vedaranyam was a landmark in India's struggle for independence. Both Rajaji and Vedarathnam Pillai emerged tall from the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha, like the memorial pillar that stands alone but majestic in Agasthiampalli. Vedaranyam's North Street has a memorial mandapam with the statues of important leaders involved in this movement.

The Salt Satyagraha movement ended victoriously with the signing up of Gandhi-Irwin Pact on 15th March, 1931. Lord Irwin was the Viceroy then. The Pact agreed to release all those imprisoned during the movement and also allowed Indians to make salt for domestic use.