O Level P1 History and Culture of Pakistan Topic 14 Khilafat Movement 1919-1924
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Khilafat Movement 1919-1924
The Khilafat movement was a very important event in the political history of India. The Muslims of India had a great regard for the Khilafat (Caliphate) which was held by the Ottoman Empire. During World War I, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) joined the war in favour of Germany. But Turkey and Germany lost the war and a pact commonly known as Istanbul Accord was concluded between the Allied Forces on 3rd November 1918. According to this Pact the territories of Turkey were to be divided among France, Greece and Britain. That resented Muslim a lot and khilafat movement began. During the war the Indian Muslims were in a very awkward position, because they had a deep-rooted devotion to the caliphate. They had profound respect for this holy institution. Therefore, their support to the British Government was subject to the safeguard and protection of the holy places of Turkey and on the condition that Turkey will not to be deprived of its territories. But the British Government could not fulfil both of these promises. The Treaty of Savers 1920 was imposed on Turkey and its territories were distributed among European countries. A wave of anger swept across the Muslin World and the Indian Muslims rose against the British Government. Muslim leaders like Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Moulana Muhammad Ali Johar, Moulana Shoukat Ali and others reacted against the British Government policy and were put behind the bars. Thus, Muslims organized a mass movement, which came to be known as Khilafat Movement. The aims of this movement were- To protect the Holy place of Turkey
- To restore the Territories of Turkey
- To restore the Ottoman Empire.
Khilafat conferences:
- First Khilafat Conference: November 1919 in Delhi. Main leaders were Maulana Mohammad Ali Johar, Moulana Shaukat Ali & Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, and Ghandi. Main aim was to persuade British to keep their promises about maintaining the Turkish Empire. Resolution was passed and everyone agreed in sending a delegation to Britain to make sure that the British were aware of Muslim strength of Muslims support for the Khalifa. Muslims also boycotted British goods besides Hindus and adopted a policy of noncooperation with them. Gandhi was an advocate of policy of passive resistance. He gave this approach the name 'Satyagraya'. meaning "not meek submission to the will of evil door but the pitting of one’s whole soul against the will of the tyrant". Gandhi urged Muslims to joining Congress in seeking 'Swaraj' (self-rule) for India.
- Second Khilafat Conference: December 1919, Amritsar. It was decided that all three organizations (Muslim League, Congress & Khilafat people) would be working together to oppose plans to dismember the Turkish Empire. Maulana Muhammad Ali visited Britain & insisted the Britain not to punish Turkey but the Prime Minister Lloyd George said 'Austria has had justice; Germany has had justice-pretty terrible justice –why should Turkey escape'?
Mehmed VI
Mehmed VI (14 January 1861 – 16 May 1926) was the 36th and last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, reigning from 1918 to 1922. His father was Sultan Abdulmecid I .Mehmed was removed from the throne when the Ottoman sultanate was abolished in 1922. The First World War was a disaster for the Ottoman Empire. British and allied forces had conquered Baghdad, Damascus, and Jerusalem during the war and most of the Empire was divided among the European allies. In April 1920 British were granted over Palestine .On 10 August 1920, Mehmed's representatives signed the Treaty of Sevres, which recognized the mandates and recognized Hejaz as an independent state. Turkish nationalists rejected the settlement by Sultan. A new government, the Turkish Grand National Assembly, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) was formed on 23 April 1920, in Ankara . The new government denounced the rule of Mehmed VI and a temporary constitution was drafted. The Turkish Grand National Assembly also abolished the Sultanate on 1 November 1922, and Mehmed was expelled from Constantinople. He went into exile in Malta. Mehmed died on 16 May 1926 in Italy, and was buried at Damascus.Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk 19 May 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish army officer, reformist statesman, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey. His surname, Ataturk (meaning "Father of the Turks"), was granted to him in 1934 and forbidden to any other person by the Turkish parliament. Ataturk was a military officer during I WW. Ataturk then embarked upon a program of political, economic, and cultural reforms, seeking to transform the former Ottoman Empire into a modern and secular nation-state. Under his leadership, thousands of new schools were built, primary education was made free and compulsory, and women were given equal civil and political rights, while the burden of taxation on peasants was reduced. His government also carried out an extensive policy of Turkification. The principles of Ataturk's reforms, upon which modern Turkey was established, are referred to as Kemalism.
Was the abolition of the institution of the caliphate in 1924 the main reason for the failure of the Khilafat Movement? Give reasons for answer.
The abolition of the institution of Caliphate by the Turks themselves remained the most important reason for the failure of Khilafat Movement. Mustafa Kamal Ataturk ¸the Turkish leader established a modern democratic government in Turkey with a properly elected parliament. In this set up the caliph & the seat of Caliphate had no place. The caliph was deposed & exiled in 1924. Muslims in India were perplexed & found their movement cut at its base. Muslims in India had nothing to fight for & the khilafat Movement ended in failure in 1924. Besides that the movement got many other set backs on account of many reasons. In 1920 the congress also started non-cooperation movement. The congress joined hands with the khiilafat movement because both were against the British. Khilafat movement got much strength from the support of the congress. Joint protest meetings & processions of Muslims & Hindus together became a common feature throughout the subcontinent. In1922 a procession at Chauri Chura (a small town in eastern U.P) was in progress. The mob became violent & set a police station on fire in which 22 policemen were burnt alive. Mr. Ghandhi suddenly called off the non-cooperation movement without consulting anyone & without taking the Muslims into confidence. The Muslims were greatly discouraged at the loss of Congress support. Khilafat Movement was weakened. Mr Jinaah had opposed the non-cooperation movement saying that it would lead to violence, and the same happened. Mr. Jinnah resigned from the Congress in 1920. The movement got other threats as well.
The Hijrat Movement (1921), an off shoot of Khilafat Movement failed badly. Some ulemas had declared that India was Dar-al-Harb & it was better for Muslims to live in an independent Muslim country. Therefore some 18000 Muslims mostly from NWFP sold their belongings & sought asylum in Afghanistan .In the beginning the migrants were welcomed but soon later Afghan government refused to admit them. Many perished & others returned penniless & homeless.
Another tragic event was the Moplah Uprising which remained responsible for the failure of Khilafat Movement. It also affected Hindu Muslim relationship. In mid of August 1921, agrarian riots broke out in Nilambur. The Moplah peasants revolted against the Hindu landlord's oppressive policies, which are in alliance with the British. The Hindu landlords redistributed their lands and the Moplahs, who had been suffering, rose in revolt. A pitched battle between the British regiment and the Moplahs killed several Europeans. Four thousand Moplahs were killed in action and tens of thousands were injured. Then there was the notorious Moplah Train Tragedy. Around a hundred prisoners, confined in a closed and almost airtight goods van, were transported by rail. When the door was opened, 66 Moplahs were found suffocated to death and the remaining 34 were on the verge of collapse. The British government also arrested the leaders of the Khilafat Movement on account of their antigovernment speeches & the movement was deprived of their effective & strong leadership, both Hindu and Muslim leaders were imprisoned for several years. About 30000 workers all over India were put in jails. The movement slows down. The movement was unrealistic & was bound to fail.
The caliphate & the people of Turkey had no interest in the politics of India. Therefore agitations & protests in India were to affect the events in turkey. Far sighted people like Mr. Jinnah & Allama Iqbal didn't support the movement. But the most important reason for the failure of the Khilafat Movement was the abolition of the institution of Caliphate by the Turks themselves. Mustafa Kamal Ataturk ¸the Turkish leader established a modern democratic government in Turkey with a properly elected parliament. In this set up the caliph & the seat of Caliphate had no place. The caliph was deposed & exiled in 1924. Muslims in India had nothing to fight for & the khilafat Movement ended in failure in 1924.Therefore the abolition of the institution of caliphate in 1924 was the main reason for the failure of the khilafat Movement.
