Issue and Opponent: Britain’s Salt Act of 1882 prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt, a staple in their diet. Indian citizens were forced to buy the vital mineral from their British rulers, who, in addition to exercising a monopoly over the manufacture and sale of salt, also charged a heavy salt tax. Indian protests against the salt tax began in the 19th century and remained a major contentious issue throughout British rule of the subcontinent. After living for two decades in South Africa, where Mohandas Gandhi fought for the civil rights of Indians residing there, Gandhi returned to his native country in 1915 and soon began working for India’s independence from Great Britain. Dilemma Action: First, Gandhi sent a letter on March 2, 1930, to inform the Viceroy Lord Irwin that he and the others would begin breaking the Salt Laws in 10 days. Then, on March 12, 1930, Gandhi set out from his ashram, or religious retreat, at Sabermanti near Ahmedabad, with several dozen followers on a trek of some 240 miles to the coastal town of Dandi on the Arabian Sea. Gandhi and his supporters were to defy British policy by making salt from seawater. Along the way, Gandhi addressed large crowds, and with each passing day, an increasing number of people joined the salt march. On April 5, Gandhi was at the head of a crowd of tens of thousands of protestors. He spoke and led prayers and early the next morning walked down to the sea to make salt. On May 21, the poet Sarojini Naidu led 2,500 marchers on the Dharasana Salt Works, some 150 miles north of Bombay. Several hundred British-led Indian policemen met them and viciously beat the peaceful demonstrators. The incident, recorded by American journalist Webb Miller, prompted an international protest against British policy in India. Outcome: The march was the first act in an even-larger campaign of civil disobedience Gandhi waged against British rule in India that extended into early 1931 and garnered Gandhi widespread support among the Indian populace and considerable worldwide attention. The nonviolent march and other similar marches resulted in the arrest of nearly 60,000 people, including Gandhi himself. India finally was granted its independence from Great Britain in 1947. In January 1931, Gandhi was released from prison and met with Lord Irwin to discuss the end of the march in exchange for an equal negotiating role at a London conference on India’s future. The meeting was a disappointment, but British leaders acknowledged Gandhi as a force they could not suppress or ignore. Gandhi’ continued to work towards Indian independence, which happened in August 1947.