Salt Tax India

About Salt Tax India

The British salt tax in India prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt, forcing them to buy it from the colonial government. The tax was devastatingly regressive, as salt was essential for survival in tropical climates. In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi led the Salt March, a 240 mile walk to the Arabian Sea to make salt from seawater. The Salt March was one of the most famous acts of civil disobedience in history. Gandhi and approximately 60,000 others were arrested. The salt tax became a symbol of colonial oppression. The Salt March drew international attention to the Indian independence movement and is considered a turning point in the campaign against British rule. The salt tax was abolished after Indian independence in 1947.