Which event served as a catalyst for the Khilafat Movement?

Explanation

The immediate issue of the Khilafat Movement was the fear that, after the First World War, harsh peace terms would be imposed on the Ottoman Empire, and the protection of the position and powers of the Khalifa (Caliph), who was highly respected in the Muslim world. In this context, the Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March, 1919. Supporters of the Khilafat believed that the Allied Powers would deal leniently with the Ottoman Empire; but the humiliating Treaty of Versailles signed by the Allies with Germany in June, 1919 shattered this belief. As a result, the Khilafat Movement intensified in India to protect Turkey’s holy places and the office of the Khalifa. Although the Treaty of Versailles was not directly related to the Ottoman Empire, it influenced the Khilafat Movement in India by affecting opinions regarding the Khalifa's position and the future of the Ottoman Empire.