Question

what was the khilafat agitation

Answer 1

The Khilafat movement, also known as the Indian Muslim movement (1919–24), was a pan-Islamist political protest campaign launched by Muslims of British India led by Shaukat Ali, Mohammad Ali Jauhar and Abul Kalam Azad[1] to restore the caliph of the Ottoman Caliphate, who was considered the leader of Sunni Muslims, as an effective political authority. It was a protest against the humiliating sanctions placed on the caliph and the Ottoman Empire after the First World War by the Treaty of Sèvres.[2][3]

The movement collapsed by late 1922 when Turkey gained a more favourable diplomatic position and moved towards secularism. By 1924 Turkey simply abolished the role of caliph.[4]

Answer 2

The first world war ended with the defeat of Ottoman Turkey. There was a rumour that a harsh peace treaty was going to be placed on the Ottoman emperer (the khalifa). A young generation of Muslim leaders like the Muslim brothers Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali begin to discuss with Gandhiji on this matter. The non-cooperation khilafat movement was launched on January 1921.