Why did Mahatma Gandhi support the Khilafat Movement?
- AThe Khalifa had given shelter to Indian revolutionaries
- BGandhiji wanted to win the support of the Indian Muslims against the British
- CThe Khalifa supported Indian struggle for freedom
- DThe Khalifa was a friend of Gandhiji
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (b) Gandhiji wanted to win the support of the Indian Muslims against the British
Explanation
The Khilafat Movement began against the British plan to partition the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire. On 23–24 November, 1919, at the All-India Khilafat Conference held in Delhi, Gandhiji was made the president of the conference on 24 November, 1919. The Khilafat Movement received further momentum from the Amritsar Session of the Indian National Congress in December, 1919. Gandhiji saw it as a golden opportunity for Hindu–Muslim unity—one that might not be available even in the next hundred years. Therefore, he supported the Khilafat Movement to secure the cooperation of Indian Muslims in the struggle against the British.