The Khilafat Issue

After the Rowlatt satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi felt the need for a more broad-based movement, but he was certain that no such movement could succeed without bringing Hindus and Muslims closer together. One way of doing this was to take up the Khilafat issue.

The First World War had ended with the defeat of Ottoman Turkey, and there were rumours of a harsh peace treaty on the Ottoman emperor — the Khalifa, the spiritual head of the Islamic world. To defend the Khalifa's powers, a Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March 1919. Young Muslim leaders like the brothers Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali discussed with Gandhi the possibility of a united mass action. At the Calcutta session of the Congress (September 1920), Gandhi convinced the leaders to start a non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat and for swaraj.

Why Non-Cooperation?

In his book Hind Swaraj (1909), Mahatma Gandhi had declared that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians and survived only because of it. If Indians refused to cooperate, British rule would collapse within a year and swaraj would come.

Gandhi proposed that the movement should unfold in stages:

  • begin with the surrender of titles awarded by the government;
  • a boycott of civil services, army, police, courts, legislative councils, schools, and foreign goods;
  • and then, if the government used repression, a full civil disobedience campaign.

Many in the Congress were reluctant to boycott the council elections of November 1920, and feared violence. After an intense tussle, a compromise was reached at the Nagpur Congress of December 1920, and the Non-Cooperation programme was adopted.

Questions and Answers

Q1. What was the Khilafat issue and why did Gandhi take it up? Ans. After the First World War, a harsh treaty was feared for the Ottoman emperor, the Khalifa. A Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay (March 1919) under leaders like Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali. Gandhi took up the issue to bring Hindus and Muslims together under a unified national movement.

Q2. What did Gandhi argue in Hind Swaraj (1909) about British rule? Ans. He argued that British rule was established and survived only with the cooperation of Indians. If Indians refused to cooperate, British rule would collapse within a year and swaraj would come.

Questions and Answers (continued)

Q3. In what stages did Gandhi propose the Non-Cooperation Movement should unfold? Ans. It should begin with the surrender of government titles, then a boycott of civil services, army, police, courts, councils, schools and foreign goods, and finally — if the government used repression — a full civil disobedience campaign.

Q4. Where and when was the Non-Cooperation programme adopted? Ans. At the Nagpur session of the Congress in December 1920, after an intense internal tussle and a compromise between the supporters and opponents of the movement.