Question

When and how was the civil disobedience movement launched?

Answer 1

From the very start, Gandhi had an agenda of  Non -violence,Swaraj, Swadeshi  and Boycott. The laws of British government were most oppressive. On 31 January 1930, he sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands. These demands were of general interests which identified with all classes within Indian society. Salt was consumed by the rich and the poor alike. The salt tax  was most stirring of all because government had monopoly over its production. The eleven demands were an ultimatum to the government failing to fulfill which he would resort to his agenda of swaraj. Hereby, Gandhi chose to break the salt law peacefully. This instigated the Civil disobedience movement and the salt march to Dandi.

Answer 2

Mahatma Gandhi found that salt was a powerful symbol that would unite the nation. on 31st January, 1930 he sent a letter to Lord Irwin stating 11 demands some of these demands were reduction of land revenue, imposition of tariff on foreign cloth and abolition of tax on salt .salt was a commodity which was consumed by all sections of the society. the British government had the Monopoly to manufacture salt. the tax on salt was increased 1000 times the common man found it difficult to meet the demand of saltax. these demands were wide ranging so all sections of the society came unitedly in the campaign.
Gandhiji letter had started that if these demands for ignored, that would be civil disobedience campaign. Irwin was unwilling to negotiate, so Mahatma Gandhi started his famous salt march accompanied by, 78 of his trusted volunteers on 12th March 1930 they set out on foot for the coastal village of Dandi, Gujarat, 240 miles from the starting point at Sabarmati Ashram. here, it is worth mentioning that their soul purpose was to break the unjust salt law that have prevented the Indians from making Salt from seawater .
thousands of people came to hear Gandhiji whenever he stopped and he told them what he meant by Swaraj and urge to them to peacefully defy the British .on 6 April ,he reached Dandi and violated the law, manufacturing salt by boiling sea water. this mark the beginning of the civil disobedience movement soon the difiance of the salt law started all over the country.