(i) Gandhiji on Jan. 31, 1930 sent a letter to viceroy Irvin, consisting eleven most essential demands.
(ii) Some of these were of general interest while others were specific demands of different classes, from industrialists to peasants.
(iii) The Idea was to make the demands wide-ranging so that all classes within the Indian society could identify with them and everyone could be brought together in a united campaign.
(iv) But the most unusual of the demand was the abolishing of salt tax.
(v) The Salt was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism because it was done in revolt against a commodity salt, used by rich and poor alike.
(vi) The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production was a severely oppressive administrative move.
(vii) Gandhiji’s letter was an ultimatum. According to which, if the demands were not fulfilled by 11th March the Congress would launch a Civil Disobedience Campaign.
(viii) Irwin was unwilling to negotiate. So Gandhiji started his famous Salt March accompanied by 79 of his trusted volunteers.
(ix) This march was over 240 miles, from Gandhi’s Ashram in Sabarmati to Gujarat’s Coastal town ‘Dandi’ and ceremonially violated the law, manufactured salt by boiling sea water. This marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience movement.
