The Hijrat Movement was a significant episode during the Khilafat Movement in India, reflecting the religious sentiments and concerns of many Indian Muslims.
During the peak of the Khilafat Movement's influence, there was a growing sense among some Muslims that the British administration in India was disregarding the laws of Islam and, as a result, India was being perceived as a "Dar-ul-Harb" (abode of war) rather than a "Dar-ul-Islam" (abode of Islam). This perspective led to the belief that living under British rule in India was incompatible with the practice and preservation of Islam.
In response to this perception, in August 1920, around 18,000 Muslims embarked on a journey known as "Hijrat" to Afghanistan. They sold their land and property and set out on a difficult trek with their families and limited belongings. They believed that Afghanistan, with its Muslim-majority population and Islamic governance, would offer them a more conducive environment to practice their faith.
However, upon reaching the Afghan border, the emigrants faced a harsh reality. The Afghan government was not prepared for such a large influx of migrants and, consequently, refused them entry. The emigrants were forcefully sent back to their places of origin in what is now part of Pakistan.
The failure of the Hijrat Movement was a significant setback for the Khilafat Movement and its supporters. Many of those who had participated in the Hijrat faced numerous challenges upon their return. They had sold their land and property, and their livelihoods were disrupted. Moreover, the promised support from the Afghan government did not materialize, leaving them in a vulnerable and difficult position.
The failure of the Hijrat Movement also had a demoralizing effect on many of the Khilafat Movement's supporters. The inability to find a safe haven and the harsh realities they faced upon their return led to a loss of enthusiasm among some of the movement's followers.
The Third Khilafat Conference
The Third Khilafat Conference, held on July 8, 1921, marked a critical moment in the Khilafat Movement in India. During this conference, a series of resolutions were passed that further intensified the movement's opposition to British colonial rule and policies.
The resolutions passed during the Third Khilafat Conference included:
The conference called for a boycott of British educational institutions, urging Muslims to refrain from attending these schools. This measure was aimed at demonstrating non-cooperation with British-run educational systems.
The conference urged Muslims not to serve in the police or army under the British administration. This move was intended to weaken the British colonial apparatus by denying it the support of Indian Muslims in these crucial institutions.
The conference passed a resolution calling for Muslims to refrain from offering any form of cooperation to the British authorities. This encompassed various aspects of public life and governance.
These resolutions were seen as highly provocative and offensive to the British colonial authorities. The Khilafat Movement's intensifying demands for non-cooperation and the growing unity among Hindus and Muslims posed a considerable challenge to British rule in India. In response, the British administration took a strong stance against the Khilafat leaders.
The leaders of the Khilafat Movement, including the Ali brothers, were accused of sedition and arrested by the British authorities. This move was part of the British policy of repression, which involved widespread arrests of political activists to curb the growing anti-colonial sentiments.
The imprisonment of the Khilafat leaders, along with other activists, led to a significant setback for the movement. The absence of its key leaders hindered the Khilafat Movement's ability to coordinate its activities effectively. However, even in the face of repression and arrests, the movement continued to resonate with many Indians, further fueling the broader struggle for independence.
Moplah Uprising
The Moplah Uprising, also known as the Moplah Rebellion or Mappila Rebellion, was a significant anti-British and anti-Hindu uprising that occurred in the Malabar region of present-day Kerala, South India, during August 1921. The uprising was triggered in the context of the Khilafat Movement and was fueled by economic, social, and religious grievances of the Mappila Muslim community in the region.
The Moplahs, also known as Mappilas, were mainly Muslim peasants who were discontented with the prevailing agrarian conditions, which were marked by high rents, indebtedness, and exploitative practices by Hindu landlords. Additionally, they were deeply affected by the Khilafat Movement's call to protect the Ottoman Caliphate and Islam's spiritual leadership.
In August 1921, the situation escalated when a large number of Mappila Muslims rebelled against the British colonial administration and their Hindu landlords. At Tirur, around 10,000 Moplahs attacked the local police station, seizing arms and ammunition. The British responded by sending troops to quell the uprising, leading to violent confrontations.
During the course of the Moplah Uprising, the British forces engaged in severe repression, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Mappilas. The situation further deteriorated as communal tensions escalated, with instances of violence between Muslims and Hindus.
Chauri-Chaura Incident:
One of the most infamous incidents during the Moplah Uprising was the Chauri Chaura incident, which occurred in February 1922 in the village of Chauri Chaura, in the Gorakhpur District of present-day Uttar Pradesh. A political procession led by non-cooperation movement activists was fired upon by the police, resulting in the deaths of twenty-one policemen. In response, the protesters retaliated by attacking and setting fire to a police station, resulting in the deaths of several police officers.
The Chauri Chaura incident deeply troubled Mahatma Gandhi, who was leading the Non-Cooperation Movement at the time. He believed that the use of violence went against the principles of nonviolent civil disobedience. In the aftermath of the Chauri Chaura incident, Gandhi suspended the Non-Cooperation Movement, emphasizing the importance of nonviolence in the struggle for independence.
The Moplah Uprising and its violent aftermath had a profound impact on communal relations in the Malabar region and elsewhere in India. The British used the events as a pretext to suppress the Khilafat Movement and other nationalist activities, leading to widespread arrests and repression of political activists.
Overall, the Moplah Uprising stands as a complex and significant episode in India's struggle for independence, highlighting the interplay of religious, social, and political factors that shaped the anti-colonial movements of the time.
Gandhi Calls Off Non-Cooperation Movement
As mentioned earlier, the Non-Cooperation Movement had witnessed disturbances and incidents of violence in various parts of India, including Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay. Gandhi began to have reservations about the movement's direction and the potential risks associated with escalating tensions.
Gandhi's reservations were further reinforced by the Chauri Chaura incident in February 1922, where a violent clash between protesters and the police resulted in the deaths of policemen. Gandhi believed that the movement had lost its nonviolent character and had veered away from its original principles.
In light of these developments, Gandhi concluded that India was not yet fully prepared for a mass campaign of civil disobedience and non-cooperation. He also considered the risks of further violence and the potential backlash from the British administration.
Hence, on February 12, 1922, Gandhi took the difficult decision to suspend the Non-Cooperation Movement. This decision was met with disappointment and criticism from many Congress leaders who believed in the effectiveness of the campaign. Additionally, some Muslim leaders accused Gandhi of retreating at a crucial moment when the Indian people were passionately supporting the cause.
The suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement marked a setback for the Indian independence movement. However, it also reflected Gandhi's unwavering commitment to nonviolence and the importance he placed on maintaining the moral integrity of the struggle.
Following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement, the British administration perceived that Gandhi's influence had declined, and they seized the opportunity to suppress the nationalist movement further. In March 1922, a few weeks after calling off the campaign, Gandhi was arrested on charges of sedition and sentenced to six years' imprisonment.
The Khilafat Movement Ends
The Khilafat Movement in India came to an end primarily due to developments in Turkey, which significantly weakened its cause. After the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement by Mahatma Gandhi, Hindu-Muslim unity, which had been a crucial element of the Khilafat Movement, began to wane. However, Indian Muslims remained determined to continue their support for the preservation of the Ottoman Caliphate.
In Turkey, the political landscape underwent significant changes. In 1922, the Sultan was deprived of political power, marking the end of the Ottoman Empire's traditional system of governance. In 1924, Kemal Atatürk, the new leader of Turkey, abolished the institution of the caliphate altogether. He believed in modernizing Turkey and transforming it into a secular state. As part of these reforms, he exiled the last Ottoman Caliph, Muhammad VI.
The abolition of the caliphate by the Turkish leadership made the fate of the Khilafat Movement in India largely irrelevant. Despite the earnest efforts of Indian Muslims and British politicians who supported the cause, the reality was that the Turks themselves had taken decisive actions that effectively ended the institution of the caliphate.
Consequently, with the abolition of the caliphate in Turkey, the Khilafat Movement in India lost its primary objective and gradually lost momentum. The movement's energy and enthusiasm diminished as it no longer had a tangible cause to rally behind. By the mid-1920s, the Khilafat Movement in India effectively came to an end.
Conclusion
However, it is essential to recognize the lasting impact of the Khilafat Movement on India's freedom struggle. The movement played a critical role in fostering Hindu-Muslim unity and promoting the idea of nonviolent resistance as a powerful tool against British colonial rule. Despite its eventual end, the Khilafat Movement's legacy continued to influence Indian politics and nationalist movements in the subsequent years. Additionally, the movement's emphasis on unity and nonviolence left a profound mark on the strategies adopted by Indian leaders in their quest for independence.
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