It sought to remove corrupt mahants supported by the British from gurdwaras.
Explanation
The Akali Movement (1920–1925), also known as the Gurdwara Reform Movement, was a significant struggle by the Sikhs to liberate their religious institutions (Gurdwaras) from the control of corrupt hereditary priests (Mahants). These Mahants were often supported by the British colonial government to maintain loyalist control over Sikh shrines.
Detailed Analysis:
- It was a movement to demand a separate Sikh state. is Incorrect: The Akali movement during the 1920s was not a separatist movement demanding a separate Sikh state. Its primary objective was religious reform and the democratization of Gurdwara management.
- It sought to remove corrupt mahants supported by the British from gurdwaras. is Correct: The central aim of the agitation was to remove the corrupt Mahants who treated Gurdwaras as personal fiefdoms and engaged in practices contrary to Sikh tenets. The movement led to the formation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to manage these shrines.
- It was opposed to the Non-Cooperation Movement. is Incorrect: The Akali movement was closely aligned with the Indian national freedom struggle. It received strong support from the Indian National Congress and leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. The movement ran parallel to the Non-Cooperation Movement, and the British government viewed the Akalis as a threat similar to the Congress nationalists.
- It was led by Bhagat Singh. is Incorrect: The movement was led by leaders such as Baba Kharak Singh, Master Tara Singh, and Teja Singh Samundri. Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary socialist associated with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) and was not the leader of the Akali religious reform agitation.
Key Takeaway:
The Akali Movement was a successful non-violent agitation that resulted in the enactment of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, which transferred the control of historical Gurdwaras to the elected body, the SGPC.