Previous Year Question
To defend the temporal powers of the Khalifa, a Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March ______.
A.
1919
B.
1931
C.
1909
D.
1930
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
At the end of the First World War, Ottoman Turkey was
defeated, and there were fears that a harsh peace settlement would be imposed on the Ottoman Sultan, who was regarded by many Muslims as the Khalifa, the spiritual head of the Islamic world.
NCERT explicitly states that “To defend the Khalifa's temporal powers, a Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March 1919.”
Young Muslim leaders, particularly Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, discussed with Mahatma Gandhi the possibility of united mass action on the Khilafat issue. The issue subsequently became closely connected with Gandhi's Non-Cooperation programme.