Question

5 points.- Explain Khilafat Movement ? Why did Gandhi JI considered it important to support Khilafat Movement?

Answer 1

Reasons for Khilafat agitation:

a. The caliph of Turkey was the temporal and spiritual leader of the Muslims all over the World. During the I world War the British had promised the the caliph would not be deprived of his powers and that the Turkey would not be partitioned. But after the war, the caliph was deprived of his powers.

b. The Khilafat Movement was launched as a measure of protest by the Muslims against the treatment meted out to Ottoman Turkey by the imperial powers.

c. The First World War had resulted in the defeat and disintegration of the Ottoman Empire.

d. There were rumours that a harsh peace treaty was to be imposed on the Ottoman emperor or the caliph who was also the spiritual head of the Muslims.

e. The Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March 1919 to defend the powers of the caliph Muslim leaders Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali were at the forefront of this agitation that was eventually incorporated with the non-cooperation movement by Gandhi.

Gandhi decided to include Khilafat agitation into non cooperation movement because:

a. Gandhiji realised that this was the best opportunity to integrate Muslims into a unified nationalist movement.
b. He felt that Muslims had real grievances and that a combined movement by Hindus and Muslims would bring the two communities together into the freedom struggle.
c. He thus, convinced other leaders to start a movement in support of Khilafat and for Swaraj.