Mahatma Gandhi considered salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation. Justify the statement with three arguments.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:55 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Mahatma Gandhi considered salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation because:
- Universal consumption: Salt was consumed by the rich and the poor alike, so the demand to abolish the salt tax could unite all classes of Indian society.
- Essential commodity: It was one of the most essential items of food, making the issue relevant to every Indian regardless of region or community.
- Symbol of British oppression: The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production revealed the most oppressive face of British rule, giving Indians a common grievance to rally against.
Source: The Salt March and the Civil Disobedience Movement, Chapter 2
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Explanation
The examiner expects three distinct, well-labelled points — one per mark. The passage directly provides all three reasons: universality of use, essential nature of salt, and its role in exposing British oppression. Avoid copying large chunks; paraphrase neatly. Each point should be one clear sentence. Do not add information not in the passage.