The Khilafat movement and the Non-Cooperation movement refer to mass movements that were formed during 1919-1922 for opposing British rule in India. Despite different issues, the movements came to be adopted in a unified plan for action based on non-violence and also for non-cooperation. At this time period, both Congress and the Muslim League have merged and many political demonstrations have resulted in the efforts of both of these parties.
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Khilafat and Non Cooperation Movement
Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)
The Khilafat movement was in motion from 1919 to 1924, soon after the years of world war I. It was a protest by Indian Muslims in alliance with Indian Nationalists. The main cause of the movement was to put persuade the British Government to preserve the authority of the Ottoman Sultan as Caliph of Islam ( the religious head of Muslims in Turkey ) after the dissolution of the Ottoman empire as a result of their actions in the first world war. Another reason for the protest was the Indian Muslim’s desire to influence the treaty following the war even though it was defeated in the war. The protesters or supporters of the movement sent a representative to London in 1920 to present their case but all these efforts were in vain as the British Government did not pay any heed to their demands and continued to dominate Turkey.
The Khilafat movement was led by the Ali brothers – Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali who worked as editors of a newspaper in Delhi. During their time as the leaders of the protest, they were guided by Maulana Abdul Bari from Lucknow and many more people. The Declaration of War against the Ottoman Empire acted as a catalyst for the anti-British movement by the Muslims as the British Empire threatened the rebellious freedom of Muslims under British rule.
The leaders of the Khilafat movement were already active members of the Indian nationalist movement and this helped them gain the support of the Indian National Congress. The Khilafat movement had greatly benefited from the cooperation between the Hindus and Muslims which surely acted as the stepping stone for the Lucknow Pact of 1916 between the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress. During that time the national congress was led by Mahatma Gandhi and he called for the Non-Cooperation movement as he knew the importance of the whole country staying united and the importance of Hindus and Muslims working together in the fight for their independence.
The Non-Cooperation movement was an unsuccessful attempt led by Mahatma Gandhi as a Protest against British Rule and a way to convince the present government to grant Self Government or Swaraj. It was one of the first large-scale protests organized by Mahatma Gandhi. This movement was an effect of the Rowlatt Act in 1919 which allowed searching the houses of people without a warrant and allowed some political cases to be tried without juries despite strong opposition from the Indians. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the British government’s reluctance to take any strong action against General Dyer further pushed people down the edge to fight for their freedom. All these events led to the start of the Non-Cooperation movement.
It was launched by the National Indian Congress on 5th September 1920 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This movement continued till February 1922. The Non-Cooperation movement is a milestone in the independence struggle of India. The reason for calling the non-cooperation movement was due to the Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh which was stopped after the violent incident at Chauri Chaura in 1922. Mahatma Gandhi issued a manifesto declaring a non-violent non-cooperation movement. Mahatma Gandhi suggested that everyone should adopt Swadeshi principles and adopt Swadeshi habits like hand spinning and weaving. One of the main aims of this movement was to eradicate the discrimination faced by lower cast people who were called Harijans and this practice was called untouchability. Gandhi traveled across the nation to explain these principles to everyone. It was a very peaceful protest against the British Government. People were asked to give up their titles and resign from local bodies as a sign of protest including the people with government jobs. People were asked to boycott foreign goods and use only Indian-made goods. People were asked not to serve in the British army and one of the major demands was swaraj or self-governance.
Impact of Non-Cooperation Movement
The impact of the Non-Cooperation movement includes-
- Extend and scope of the Movement: The nationalist sentiments surfaced in every corner of the country and came to politicize every stage of the population; which included the artisans, peasants, students, urban poor, and others.
- Establishment of Institutions: Both Swaraj and Swadeshi institutions were set up which included national institutions like Gujarat Vidyapith, Kashi Vidyapith, and so forth. This gave birth to a strong idea of Swaraj and the love of Khadi.
- Instilling Unity among People: Certain common emotions like anti-British feelings, grievances against the British, and a sense of projection of Mahatma Gandhi as an unchallenged leader came to be instilled.
- Economic Impact: Foreign goods came boycotted and the importation of foreign cloth halved between 1921 and 1922.
Related Links
- Different Strands within the Non-Cooperation Movement
- Different Forms of Non-cooperation Movement
- Constructive Programmes of Mahatma Gandhi
- Difference Between Non Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements
- The First World War, Khilafat and Non-Cooperation
- Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
- All India Muslim League and Contribution to Indian National Movement
- Non-Brahman Movement
- Role of Several Foreigners in Indian Freedom Struggle
- Role of Mahatma Gandhi in National Movement
FAQs on Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement
Q 1. Why was the Khilafat movement started?
Answer-
The main purpose of the movement was to put pressure on the British Government to preserve the authority of the Ottoman Sultan as Caliph of Islam ( the religious head of Muslims in Turkey ) after the dissolution of the Ottoman empire after the world war.
Q 2. What was the importance of the Khilafat movement?
Answer-
The Khilafat movement had greatly benefited from the cooperation between the Hindus and Muslims which acted as the stepping stone for the Lucknow Pact of 1916 between the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress.
Q 3. Why was the Non-Cooperation movement started? or What was the main objective of the non-cooperation Khilafat movement?
Answer-
It was launched by the National Indian Congress on 5th September 1920 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This movement continued till February 1922. The reason for calling the non-Cooperation movement was due to the Massacre At Jallianwala Bagh which was stopped after the violent incident at Chauri Chaura in 1922.