“Sedition has become my religion” was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of

The famous declaration “Sedition has become my religion” was made by Mahatma Gandhi on 6 April 1930 at Dandi, on the Arabian Sea coast of present-day Gujarat. The statement was made in the context of the Civil Disobedience Movement, when Gandhi deliberately violated the British Salt Law after completing the historic Salt March (Dandi March) that began from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930.

On 6 April 1930, Gandhi reached Dandi and picked up a handful of natural salt, thereby openly defying the colonial monopoly on salt production and sale. This simple yet powerful act symbolized the Indian people’s rejection of unjust British laws and their determination to challenge colonial authority through non-violent resistance (Satyagraha). The breaking of the salt law transformed civil disobedience from a limited protest into a mass nationwide movement, inspiring millions across India to violate salt laws, boycott foreign goods, refuse to pay taxes, and court arrest.

In his speech at Dandi, Gandhi strongly condemned British rule, stating that it had caused moral, material, cultural, and spiritual degradation of India. He declared his resolve to dismantle the colonial system, asserting that opposition to unjust authority was a moral duty. By proclaiming that “sedition has become my religion,” Gandhi redefined sedition—not as a crime against the state, but as a sacred obligation against tyranny. He emphasized that the struggle was strictly non-violent, rooted in ethical resistance rather than hatred or bloodshed.

Gandhi clarified that the movement sought not the destruction of individuals, but the eradication of an oppressive system. The Salt Satyagraha exposed the exploitative nature of colonial laws, especially those affecting the poorest sections of society, and drew global attention to India’s freedom struggle.

In essence, Gandhi’s statement at Dandi captured the moral foundation of India’s nationalist movement, where civil disobedience, non-violence, and ethical defiance became instruments for achieving political freedom and social justice.