The second decade of 20th century, which was marred by brutal battles all over Europe, saw the British aggression of Turkey. British Indian muslims were in backfoot as they stand confused to take side in British-Turkey war. One was their ruling empire while the other was the home of the Sultan who was the representative and defender of their faith. Finally after long discussion, British Indian muslims decided to back their ruling empire. Thinking was that in support of the backing given by the muslims in India, the British will give complete immunity to the muslims mosques and religious places in Turkey.
When the war ended severe terms were imposed on Turkey by the Britain. This and other severe action by the allies on the muslim religious places in Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Jeddah turned the tide of muslim backing against the British India. That betrayal turned into anger and further into resolve. The outcome of that standing up of the muslim mass’ was the first Khilafat conferance at Delhi on November 23, 1919.
In the first Khilafat conferance at Delhi, leaders of the muslims thanked Mahatma Gandhi and the congress for the support they gave against the muslim fight against the injustice of the empire against their faith. The conferance advised Indian muslims to abstain from any victory celebrations conducted by the British empire. They also called to withhold any cooperation with the British India government. They further hardened their position by calling for a complete ban of foreign goods, first of any such call in British India. Many petitions were send to Britain and America for the improvement of muslim faith in Europe and West Asia. A petition was presented to the Prime Minister of Britain in December 1919 with no assail.
Britain’s neglect of the call made by the Khilafat leaders provided the fertile soil for the growth of the movement and more and more people started to make greater contribution to the Khilafat movement. The second and third Khilafat conferances were held at Amritsar and Bombay respectively.
On 30 May, 1920, All India Congress Committee meeting was held at Benares. The AICC discussed Hunter report and British aggression against muslim faith and extended all support to the muslim course. Congress also put forward a way to fight the Britain empire’s negligence of Indian people in a peaceful non-co-operation.
The AICC’s support for the muslim fight for freedom of faith encouraged Khilafat leaders to move in tandem with Congress Party for the common good of the people. As as result, on June 30, 1920, a Hindu-Muslim conferance was held at Allahabad and in that meeting it was decided to adopt non-co-operation as the chief weapon for the fight against British government. Both the leaders of the Khilafat movement and Mahatma Gandhi wrote letters to the British Prime Minister explaining the need and reason for the non-co-operation adopted by them.
The 31st of the August was celebrated as Khilafat day and Mahatma Gandhi returned his medals to the British government on protest and declared a general hartal on that day. The British government continued to pooh-pooh the Indian mass movement and did everything to malign the movement. British officers in that time formed a fund for the retiring Michael Dyer, which was seen by the Indians as an insult to them.
The AICC meeting held at Culcutta under the leadership of Lala Lajpat Rai in September of 1920 proclaimed the use of progressive, non violent non-co-operation untill swarajya. It adivised the Indian citizens to surrender all the titles given to them by the empire and to resign from all the post under the British empire. It also advocated for the boycott of foreign goods. It advised the peopel to not to attend any durbars conducted by the government. It also called for the gradual withdrawal of kids and young pupil from the government-controlled schools and colleges.
It was decided to start many national schools and colleges along the length and breadth of the country. As a result, within no time, many schools and colleges were opened and more and more Indian students began to wirthdraw from the government-controlled institutions. The National Muslim University, Gujarat National College, National College of Patna, National College of Culcutta, and Tilak Mahavidyalayasala at Poona were some of the greatest indian instutions made during that time.
A large campaign was also started to educate the people against the evils of drinking. By that the Congress were able to make a huge dent in the income of the government. An Indian Natinal Service was created to help the Indian workers during that time. The Congress party also decided to boycott the visit of His Royal Highness, Duke of Cannaught on his visit to Madras on January 8, 1920.
On July 28, 1921, the AICC meeting was conducted in Bombay, which called for the boycott of Welcome party conducted for the HRH Prince of Wales.
Further along, the Congress party, with support from Khilafat leaders, decided to move into civil disobedience in the face of British neglect to India’s needs. The civil disobedience did not last long as Mahatma Gandhi called it off due the violent disturbances which took place in the country in the shadaow of the Congress’ civil disobedience call.
Mahatma Gandhi was arrested and sentenced to a 6 year jail imprionment following it. Mahatma Gandhi was in Yerowada jail from March 18, 1922 to February 5, 1924. His early freedom was a result of appendicitis operation during the jail term. Gandhi was operated by Dr. Col. Maddock at the Sassoon Hospital in Puna. India has a large debt to Col. Maddock in restoring the health of Gandhi which was very bad during that period.
