Why did Mahatma Gandhi support the Khilafat Movement?
1) The Khalifa had given shelter to Indian revolutionaries
2) Gandhiji wanted to win the support of the Indian Muslims against the British
3) The Khalifa supported Indian struggle for freedom
4) The Khalifa was a friend of Gandhiji
The correct answer is Gandhiji wanted to win the support of the Indian Muslims against the British .
Mahatma Gandhi supported the Khilafat Movement for multiple reasons, including the desire to unite Hindus and Muslims against British rule and to secure the support of Indian Muslims in the struggle for Indian independence.
The Khilafat Movement was initiated by Indian Muslims in the aftermath of World War I to protest against the dismantling of the Ottoman Caliphate by the victorious Allied Powers. The Caliphate was considered the spiritual and political center of the Islamic world, and its abolition was seen as an affront to Muslim religious and cultural identity.
Gandhi believed that the Khilafat Movement presented an opportunity to forge unity between Hindus and Muslims in the struggle against British colonialism. He saw the Muslim cause as part of the larger Indian freedom struggle and believed that Hindu-Muslim unity was essential for achieving independence.
Additionally, Gandhi recognized that the Khilafat issue was of great significance to Indian Muslims and that supporting their cause could help win their support for the non-cooperation movement, which he was planning to launch to boycott British goods and institutions. The Khilafat leaders, in turn, saw Gandhi as a valuable ally in their struggle and welcomed his participation in their movement.
It is important to note that Gandhi’s support for the Khilafat Movement was not unconditional. He did not endorse the more radical demands of some Khilafat leaders, such as the establishment of a separate Muslim state or the adoption of a pan-Islamic agenda. He also opposed the violent excesses of the movement, such as the Moplah Rebellion in Malabar, which resulted in the loss of many lives.
In summary, Mahatma Gandhi supported the Khilafat Movement to foster Hindu-Muslim unity and to secure the support of Indian Muslims in the struggle for Indian independence. His support was conditional on the movement’s adherence to non-violence and its alignment with the larger Indian freedom struggle.