Question

Who organized the Khilafat movement?

Answer 1

The Khilafat Movement: During the First World War, Turkey, which was a German ally, fought against the British. After Turkey’s defeat, the Ottoman caliphate was proposed to be dissolved. The Khilafat movement was launched by Muslims in India to persuade the British government and rather not to abolish the caliphate. The leaders of this Khilafat movement accepted the non-cooperation movement of Gandhiji and led a joint protest against the British.

About Khilafat Movement:

• The Khilafat Movement was started in 1919 in India in support of the restoration of the caliphate in Turkey.
• The Indian National Congress (INC) had made an alliance with it.
• The Khilafat meetings in Malabar (Kerala) incited communal feelings among the Moplahs. This became a movement that was directed against the British and also the Hindu landlords of Malabar.
• There was massive violence that saw systematic persecution of Hindus and British officials. In these riots, many homes and temples were destroyed.
• The most prominent leaders of this rebellion were Ali Musaliyar and Variyankunnath Kunjahammed Haji.
• From August 1921 till the end of the year, the rebels controlled the larger parts of Malabar.
• On the edge of the year 1921, the rebellion was crushed by the British who had raised a special battalion, called the Malabar Special Force for the riot.
• In the month of November of the year 1921, 67 Moplah prisoners were killed.
• When they were being transported in a closed freight wagon from Tirur to the Central Prison in Podanur they lost their lives due to suffocation. This major event is referred as the Wagon Tragedy.