Khilafat Movement in Assam

by Muhammad Talha Amin Baruah

The Khilafat Movement in Assam was a significant chapter in the region's nationalist struggle, marked by widespread Muslim participation and Hindu-Muslim unity against British rule. Inspired by the All-India Khilafat agitation, Assamese people organized committees, held conferences, and actively supported the movement, contributing to the broader anti-colonial resistance in the early 1920s.

Khilafat Movements during the early 1920s sparked a profound and widespread response across India, fostering an extraordinary sense of optimism between Hindus and Muslims. This unprecedented interfaith solidarity was instrumental in mobilizing the masses against British colonial authority.

In Assam, the movements unified reaction from both the Hindus and the Muslims. Hindus and Muslims responded to the call of the Khilafatists. They urged the restoration of the Turkish Sultan to his pre-war status. Inspired by the call to restore the Turkish Sultan’s dignity, Assam's people responded by adopting resolutions and organizing meetings to demand justice. This reflects the province's deep engagement with the Khilafat cause. Local leaders played a pivotal role in spreading these ideals, organizing numerous meetings throughout early 1921 to address core themes such as the promotion of Swadeshi (indigenous goods), the preservation of the Khilafat, and the broader injustices of colonial governance.

A notable example was Tarun Ram Phukan, a prominent Assamese nationalist and Congress leader, who delivered speeches in the Kamrup district regarding the matter. On February 2, 1921, in an assembly at Guwahati, Phukan condemned the British government's mistreatment of the Turkish Sultan, framing it as a blatant act against the Islamic honourary leader. He addressed the issue again on February 27 at Hajo. Similar meetings and hartals (strikes) also took place in Jorhat, Sibsagar, Goalpara and North Lakhimpur.

On 24 February, a meeting was held in Guwahati under the leadership of Mohammad Tayebullah. Many people from different jobs—like sweepers, cobblers, washermen, and laborers—took a pledge not to drink alcohol as a form of respect towards the Caliphate. On 19 March 1920, Assam observed a national day of mourning, as called by the Central Khilafat Committee. In Barak Valley, there were hartals and public meetings. In Karimganj, Muslims threatened to start a jihad if the Khilafat issue was not resolved properly. The Deobandi madrasa in Karimganj known as Darul Uloom Bagbari played a special role in the movement's mobilization in the Barak Valley region.

The Khilafat movement also inspired Muslims in Cachar. A Khilafat Committee was formed there, led by Pir Maulana Muhammad Ali who set an office in Silchar. Some leaders from India traveled across Sylhet and Cachar to further mobilize the Khilafat movement. The most important event in Cachar was the creation of a large volunteer group of 90,000 men. Satyendra Mohan Deb was the captain, and Gulzar Ali Majumdar was the secretary in charge.

The Khilafat movement united people across professions and regions in Assam, inspiring mass participation, strikes, and a formation of groups, highlighting strong solidarity and political awareness. Nonetheless, the attempts to restore Ottomans back to power failed as in the immediate result of the post World War 1 events.

Sources :
1. Assam State Gazetteer Vol. I (1999) edited by Mr. Amlan Baruah. Government of Assam. Pg. 155

2. Assam O Kamrupe Musolmander hajar bochor (2021) by Sardar Abdur Rahman. Dibyaprakash. Pg. 177-178