Today In Indian History (5th April)

1663 - Shaista Khan was wounded by the Maratha chief Shivaji who made a surprise night attack in Poona on 5 April, 1663, wounding him.

After his accession to the throne, Aurangzib sent Shayista Khan (Shaista Khan was the son of Asaf Khan and brother of Mumtaz Mahal) as viceroy of the Deccan with instruction to crush Shivaji. However, Shayista Khan had to retreat when Shivaji embarked on a surprise attack at the well-guarded mansion of Shayista Khan in Poona. In the scuffle Shaista Khan lost his thumb and his son, Abul Fath, was killed. This incident served a body-blow to the Mughal prestige in the Deccan. Aurangzeb recalled Shayista and transferred him to Bengal.

1930 - Mahatma Gandhi reached Dandi on 5th April 1930 to break the salt law. Led by Mahatma Gandhi, The famous 1930 "salt march" (Dandi March) was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience to defy the monopoly on salt production by the British colonial rulers. Dandi March is also called Salt Satyagraha.

The 24-day march which lasted from 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930 spanned 387 kilometres, from Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to the coastal village of Dandi, which was called Navsari at that time (now in the state of Gujarat). Gandhi broke the British Raj salt laws on 6 April 1930.

It sparked India's civil disobedience movement as thousands joined him on the beach to pick up salt, the production of which was under colonial control.

78 volunteers had accompanied Mahatma Gandhi on the Dandi March.

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