Gandhiji started the civil Disobedience Movement on 12 March 1930 with his famous Dandi March. Along with seventy eight followers Gandhi marched from Sabaramati to Dandi and made salt in violation of the salt laws. He declared, the British rule in India has brought about moral, material, cultural and spiritual ruination of this great country. I regard this rule as a curse. I am out to destroy this system of Government”. The people responded enormously to the call of Gandhiji. The movement spread all over the country rapidly.
The British Government wanted to negotiate an agreement with the congress so that it would attend the Round Table conference. Lord Irwin made a pact with Gandhi in March 1931 and Gandhi went to London in September 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference. Inspite of his powerful advocacy, the British Government refused to concede the basic nationalist demand for freedom on the basis of the immediate grant of Dominion status. Gandhi returned being disappointed and the civil Disobedience Movement was resumed. Gandhiji suspended the movement in May 1933 and finally withdrew it in 1934.
The Salt Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience Movement created greater enthusiasm among the people to overthrow the foreign rule. Gandhi remained the unchallenged leader of the national movement.