Gandhi believed that nonviolent protest was a powerful force that could intimidate even an oppressor as powerful as the British Empire. Picking up the sea salt was a simple act. However, when thousands of people united peacefully for the salt march in defiance of British laws, a silent blow was delivered to British rule. An act as small as picking up a handful of salt ignited the spark of nonviolent protest across India and managed to “shake the foundations of the British Empire.” The quotation illustrates Gandhi’s faith and confidence in the power of nonviolence.
Gadhi was referring to the mud salt he was holding during the famous salt march. The importance of the salt march to the protest movement was that it exemplified the depth of colonial laws and their effects on Indian society. while other nationalists had been skeptical of the salt march,its importance to the natioanlist movement can not be underestimated, mainly because of its non-confrontational nature.
