Discuss the aims and objects of the Khilafat Movement. To what extent was it successful?

Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) originated in India to support the Caliphate of Ottoman Empire in Turkey against the insulting treatment by the Britishers after the First World War. Sultan of Turkey was considered as Khalifa of Islam by Indian Muslims.

For an organized protest on the issue, Shaukat Ali and Muhammed Ali (Ali Brothers), Maulana Azad, Ajmal Khan and Hasrat Mohani formed a Khilafat Committee to change British attitude towards Turkey.

They demanded:

• Khalifa’s control over muslim sacred places.
• ​​Sufficient territory for the Khalifa

Initially, the movement became successful as it also gained support of the Congress. Due to imprisonment of important leaders and withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement by Gandhi after Chauri-Chaura incident, its force faded away. The movement became irrelevant as Turkey itself moved towards secularism and abolished the Caliphat in 1924. The Khilafat Movement contributed to Indian National Movement by bringing Hindu-Muslim unity in the freedom struggle.

Topics: GS-I: Modern Indian History & Freedom Struggle