Previous Year Question

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan founded the Khudai Khidmatgar movement in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) in 1929, and it also became known as the Red Shirt Movement.

Khudai Khidmatgar means ‘Servants of God’. Its volunteers wore red shirts and consequently became popularly known as the Red Shirts.

The movement drew its principal support from Pashtun society. It sought to promote political consciousness, social reform, discipline and organised resistance to British rule.

One of its most important features was its commitment to non-violence. Ghaffar Khan was influenced by Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, and the Khudai Khidmatgar worked in close cooperation with the Indian National Congress during the freedom struggle.

Because of his non-violent struggle and close association with Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan also became popularly known as the ‘Frontier Gandhi’.

During the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, the Khudai Khidmatgar played an especially important role in the NWFP and its members faced severe repression from the British authorities.

Therefore, the movement started by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan against British rule was the Red Shirt or Khudai Khidmatgar Movement.