The Khilafat Movement in India (1919-1924)
Disillusionment and Desertion
During World War I, some Indian Muslims grew disillusioned with British policy. Despite many serving in the British army against Turkey, desertions occurred among soldiers unwilling to fight fellow Muslims. Turkey, the sole independent Muslim nation, held the Caliphate in high regard among Indian Muslims, who opposed its potential division and the Caliphate’s abolition.
The Khilafat Movement Begins
Indian Muslims voiced concerns to the British government, which promised to protect the Caliphate. However, post-war reports revealed British and French intentions to punish Turkey. In response, Khilafat Conferences in late 1919 initiated the Khilafat Movement with these demands:
- Preserve Turkey’s territorial integrity.
- Protect Muslim holy sites.
- Prevent the Caliphate’s abolition.
A Khilafat delegation to the British Prime Minister failed, leading Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar, Maulana Shaukat Ali, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to organize protests, marches, and strikes across India.
Misguided Focus and the Hijrat Movement
The movement’s focus on the Khalifa’s fate, rather than the concerns of Western powers and Turks, contributed to its failure. The Hijrat Movement, an offshoot declaring India Dar-ul-Harb, urged Muslim migration to Afghanistan. Around 18,000 people attempted to migrate, facing hostility from the Afghan government and occupied homes and jobs. The Muslim League opposed the migration, advocating for staying and fighting for their cause. This failure demoralized Muslims and weakened the Khilafat Movement.
Gandhi’s Support and Withdrawal
Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement significantly bolstered the Khilafat cause, challenging British rule. However, rising violence, culminating in the Chauri Chaura incident (1922) where a mob killed 21 policemen, led Gandhi to halt the movement. This weakened the Khilafat Movement, and the British government, refusing the Khilafat leaders’ demands, imprisoned key figures like the Ali brothers and Gandhi, further crippling the movement.
The Final Blow and Abolition of the Caliphate
The final blow came from Turkey itself. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, establishing a modern democratic government, abolished the Caliphate in 1924. This discouraged Indian Muslims, ending the Khilafat Movement without achieving its goals.
The Moplah Riots and Chauri Chaura Incident
In 1921, during the Non-Cooperation Movement, riots erupted in Nilambur between Moplah Muslims and British soldiers. In Tirur, around 10,000 Moplahs attacked a police station. The Chauri Chaura incident, where police fired on a procession, led to the deaths of 21 policemen and subsequent arrests of Muslim leaders. Gandhi’s decision to end his campaign, while aimed at curbing violence, upset Congress leaders and Muslims, weakening Hindu-Muslim unity and the Khilafat Movement.