Why did Mahatma Gandhi send eleven demands in his letter to Lord Irwin?

(i) Mahatma Gandhi found, in salt, a powerful symbol that could unite the country.

(ii) Some of his demands were of general interest, others were specific demands of different classes.

(iii) The idea was to make the demands wide ranging, so that all classes within the Indian society could identify with them and could be united in a united campaign.