The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947 | Class 8 Social Science Notes

Khilafat agitation and the Non-Cooperation Movement

The Khilafat agitation (1919-1922) was a significant movement led by Indian Muslims to protest the harsh treatment of the Ottoman Caliphate by the British after World War I. The Caliph was regarded as the spiritual leader of Muslims worldwide, and the British-imposed Treaty of Sèvres threatened his authority and control over Muslim holy places. Leaders like Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali spearheaded the Khilafat cause.

Mahatma Gandhi supported the Khilafat leaders and saw an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims in a common struggle against British rule. He urged the Indian National Congress to launch the Non-Cooperation Movement, which aimed to boycott British goods, institutions, and honors, and to demand swaraj (self-rule).

The Non-Cooperation Movement gained massive momentum between 1921 and 1922. Thousands of students left government schools and colleges, lawyers gave up their practices, British titles were renounced, and legislatures were boycotted. Public bonfires of foreign cloth symbolized the rejection of British economic dominance. The import of foreign cloth fell drastically during this period.

The movement was not limited to urban elites; it spread to peasants, tribals, workers, and women. Local protests addressed specific grievances such as high land revenue in Kheda, liquor shop picketing in Andhra and Tamil Nadu, forest rights protests by tribals in Guntur, and the Sikh Akali agitation against corrupt mahants in Punjab. Tea garden laborers in Assam also participated, demanding better wages.

Women’s participation increased, challenging traditional gender roles. Leaders like Sarojini Naidu played crucial roles in mobilizing women. However, Gandhi was initially hesitant about women’s involvement but was persuaded to include them.

The Non-Cooperation Movement was abruptly called off by Gandhi in 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, where a violent clash led to the death of policemen, violating the principle of non-violence.

This section illustrates the broadening of the national movement to include diverse social groups and the challenges of maintaining non-violent discipline.

📊 Diagram: Fig. 8 – A popular representation of Mahatma Gandhi

🧪 Activity: Read Source 4. According to this report, how did people view Mahatma Gandhi? Why did they feel he was opposed to zamindars but not to the government? Why were they in favour of Gandhiji?

🔗 Connection: Leads to the discussion of the developments from 1922 to 1929 including Gandhi’s constructive work and the rise of revolutionary nationalism.