The Khilafat Movement

     Khilafat movement was a shadow of Hindu-Muslims unity followed by Lucknow pact. It was formed at Bombay in July 1918. It was not only a rigio-political movement launched by Muslims but also Hindus supported it. Meaningfully, the Indian Muslims realized their religious duty to help the Muslim country, turkey. In March 1924, the Khilafat movement came to its end.

Background:

            As World War 1 started, two major groups wrestled with each to dominate the region. Turkey was in alliance with Germany. On the face of trimming of turkey in that war, the Indian Muslims got protected about the holy places of Muslims Umma. Because the Hijjaz-e-Muqqadas was in the Turkish domain. On that ground, Indian Muslims considered the Ottoman Caliphate as a symbol of unity of the Muslim world as Umma.

Goals:

·         Ottoman Khilafat should be kept unabridged

·         Territorial the solidarity of turkey be preserved

·         Control of holy places should not be given to non-muslims

Measure to be taken for the protection of Khilafat:

            When World War 1 ended up in 1918, apparently, the turkey had to face the consequence of downfall. The victorious allied were bent upon demolishing the ottoman caliphate of turkey which had fought by the side of Germany. The result of the war had placed the Indian Muslims in an extremely awkward situation. The Indian Muslims were not ready to any retrenchment of turkey and contiguously could not aff0rd to pick up the confrontation with the government.

            In order to put pressure on the government, Muslims organized themselves under the leadership of Hakim Ajmal and Dr. M.A Ansari and formed the Khilafat committee.  The first Khilafat conference held at Delhi, November 1918. Along with Muslim leaders except Quaid, Gandhi and Nehru also participated. Following steps were announced

·         No participation in the victory celebration

·         Boycott of British government goods

·         Non-cooperation with government

Thus, the second conference held at Ameristar, December 1918. Where Maulana Mohammad Ali and shokaut Ali also joined season after realizing form jail.

Khilafat delegation:

            Under the umbrella of the Khilafat movement, the committee decided to send a delegation to acquaint the government of the sentiments of the Indian Muslims. The handing over team was under the leadership of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauher. In March 1919, the delegation left for England to meet the prime Minister. Additionally, the Prime Minister, Lloyd George, was known for anti-Muslim thinking. He refused any argument of the Khilafat delegation. Regretfully, the team returned without achieving its purpose.

The non-cooperation Movement:

            Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru started a campaign of civil disobedience and peaceful non-cooperation. On the contrary, Quaid-e-Azam believed that Gandhi’s civil disobedience campaign would lead only to chaos. Thus, he resigned from the Congress party in 1920. Gandhi had dual objectives of Indian independence and restoration of the Caliphate. Interestingly, the Indian Muslims ulema of Deobandi sect and political activists supported Gandhi in the mass demonstration of 1920 and 1921.  In return, Gandhi bolstered them in their Pan-Islamic Khilafat movement against the British.

End of the Movement:

            The Khilafat movement ended without achieving its goals. It overwhelmed the league after 1919 and eventually broke the league-congress unity. The sacrifices of the people were doomed and appeared to have been in vain.

Chauri Chaura Incident:

            The unity between Muslims and Hindus could not be lost long. In February 1922, at Chauri Chaura, a village in the united province, violence erupted between the police and mass demonstrating. The mob set on fire the police station where twenty-one policemen were burnt alive. To see that, Gandhi immediately and unilaterally called off the non-cooperation movement, doing plenty of damages to the entire Khilafat movement.

            If the non-cooperation movement would have been allowed to continue, despite the incident, the British government would have been compelled to make major concessions.

Hijrat Movement:

            Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauher and other religious leaders declared India as ‘Darl-ul-Harb. According to them, the Indian Muslims should migrate from India to the nearest safe place. Approximately, 20,000 people sold off their properties to Hindus. Meanwhile, there was an impression that the king of Afghanistan would welcome them. Initially, Afghanistan welcomed them but later they closed the border and pushed the people back, resulting in loss of lives and money Muslims faced. Ziring (1999) notes that Gandhi particularly called upon the Muslims to migrate ‘en mass to Asia minor’.

Development in Turkey:

            The institution of the caliphate was demolished not only by the enemies but also by a Muslim hero, Mustafa Kamal Ataturk. Because the last khalifa sultan Abdul Majeed was banished from turkey in 1924. Mustafa Kamal emerged as a national leader in 1922. He was appointed chief of the state by the Grand National assembly. The Indian Muslims sent a delegation to Turkey to confess to him but failed to achieve their objectives.

Reasons for the Failure of Movement:

· Gandhi's action of calling off the non-cooperation movement at the movement when the government was about to make major concessions.

·The national assembly of turkey elected Mustafa Kamal as their leader who abolished the institution of the caliphate.

·The communal clashes and riots erupted in the country which adversely affected the political condition of India.