UMEED Act 2025: A Transformative Step for Waqf Justice—Tamil Maanila Muslim League’s Call for Support & Action

The Tamil Maanila Muslim League (TMML), guided by the seasoned leadership of Ameerul Millat S. Sheikh Dawood, proudly champions the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Act, 2025. 

With five decades of political advocacy behind us, we see this groundbreaking legislation as a historic opportunity to restore Waqf properties—valued at over 9 lakh crore rupees—to their rightful purpose. Waqf, enshrined in the Holy Quran’s call for charity (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:177), is more than an Islamic endowment; it is a vital resource for India’s social fabric. The UMEED Act promises to reclaim this legacy from decades of corruption and mismanagement, delivering benefits not only to India’s 200 million Muslims but also to Hindus and all marginalized communities nationwide.

Waqf properties span an impressive 9.4 lakh acres across 8.7 lakh endowments, making them India’s third-largest landholding, trailing only the armed forces and railways (Ministry of Minority Affairs, 2024). 

Yet, their potential to fund education, healthcare, and community welfare has been stifled by systemic failures. 

Unlike the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), which unfortunately sparked widespread protests by supposedly threatening individual rights, UMEED’s focus on institutional reform has avoided similar unrest. Still, TMML cautions that its success hinges on dismantling entrenched corruption and ensuring Waqf fulfils its divine and inclusive mission.

Why CAA and NRC Sparked Protests While UMEED Did Not?

The CAA and NRC unleashed nationwide protests because they seemed to directly challenge individual identities and citizenship. These policies struck at the heart of personal security, prompting millions to take to the streets as they felt that their very existence in India was under threat.

By contrast, the UMEED Act has not ignited comparable outrage, despite its ambitious scope. The difference lies in its approach: UMEED targets institutional reform, not individual rights. It seeks to overhaul Waqf boards—long plagued by opacity and corruption—through measures like digitizing property records and diversifying governance to include non-Muslims. These changes tackle systemic inefficiencies rather than personal entitlements, sidestepping the visceral fears that CAA and NRC un-intentionally provoked. 

The Sachar Committee Report (2006) found that only 13% of Muslims benefit from Waqf revenues due to mismanagement—a failure that deprives millions but lacks the immediate, personal stakes of citizenship debates. Political observers also note resistance from state Waqf boards, often patronage networks for elites (The Indian Express, Mar 10, 2025), yet this has not translated into mass protests, underscoring UMEED’s distinct focus.

The Vellore Incident: A Stark Reminder of Reform’s Urgency

The necessity of UMEED’s reforms came into sharp focus with the Vellore incident in Tamil Nadu. On April 2025, 150 families in Kattukollai village—predominantly Muslim—faced a shocking ultimatum from a local mosque and dargah, backed by the Waqf Board: vacate their homes or pay rent. 

Despite holding valid title deeds, these families were told their properties belonged to Waqf. They were asked to Vacate. Many Muslim families were also very much a part of this. Their protests and appeals to district authorities highlighted a glaring abuse of power, as pre-UMEED laws allowed such arbitrary claims to persist unchecked. This incident, affecting even Muslim families, has shattered trust in Waqf institutions and underscored the urgent need for transparency. UMEED’s provisions—like digitized records and public access portals—promise to prevent such injustices, ensuring Waqf serves the people, not powerful interests.

The Thiruchendurai Incident: Whole village claimed as WAQF?

Similarly, in September 2022, the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board claimed the entire Thiruchendurai village, including its ancient Chandrasekhara Swamy Temple, covering 480 acres. This left predominantly Hindu villagers in shock, fearing loss of homes. The claim, based on 18th-century gifts by Queen Rani Mangammal (documented in a 1954 gazette), was contested by villagers with valid deeds, sparking protests. The Indian Express (Apr 12, 2025) notes residents welcomed UMEED’s removal of Section 40, safeguarding against unilateral claims.

UMEED’s Provisions: A Roadmap for Inclusive Progress

Signed into law by President Droupadi Murmu on February 24, 2025 (PIB, 2025), the UMEED Act introduces transformative measures to realign Waqf with its charitable roots:

1. Digitized Transparency for Accountability
   By digitizing all 8.7 lakh Waqf properties and launching a public portal, UMEED exposes corruption and redirects revenues to their intended recipients (The Hindu, Feb 25, 2025). Take St. Stephen’s Hospital in Delhi, a Waqf-funded institution offering affordable healthcare to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and others. UMEED ensures such assets thrive, serving all communities rather than a select few.
2. Fast-Track Justice for Swift Resolution
   Disputes will now reach district courts, with appeals to High Courts resolved within 90 days (PRS Legislative Research, 2025). This curbs delays that enable corruption, protecting institutions like Hyderabad’s Waqf-funded schools, which educate children of all faiths and promote unity through knowledge.
3. Empowering the Vulnerable Across Communities
   UMEED prioritizes widows, orphans, and divorced women—of any faith—echoing Islam’s call to aid the needy (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:177). With 68% of Muslim women below the poverty line (NITI Aayog, 2023), these measures offer hope to marginalized groups across India.
4. Fraud Prevention to Protect Public Goods
   Verified ownership requirements for Waqf creation will halt fraudulent claims, preserving the 9 lakh crore estate for public welfare (Waqf Management System of India, 2024). This ensures Waqf funds schools, hospitals, and community centers for all Indians.
5. Enforcement with Integrity
   TMML demands community-led oversight and criminal proceedings against corrupt actors to enforce UMEED, aligning it with Shariat and India’s constitutional values. The Act’s success depends on breaking the patronage networks that have exploited Waqf for too long.

UMEED’s Inclusive Impact: A Resource for All

Waqf is fundamentally a tool for universal charity. The Holy Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:177) urges aid to “the needy” without religious distinction, while Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) exemplified this by helping a poor non-Muslim (Sahih Bukhari). Today, Waqf-funded entities like St. Stephen’s Hospital and Hyderabad’s schools embody this spirit, serving all faiths. UMEED’s reforms will amplify this impact by ensuring transparent, efficient management, preventing resources from being siphoned off for private gain.

For Hindus and other communities, UMEED’s benefits are tangible. Properly managed Waqf properties fund public goods—schools, hospitals, and community center’s—that uplift the poor, regardless of religion. By curbing corruption, UMEED ensures these resources reach those in need, fostering social harmony and aligning with India’s secular principles. Its digitization efforts also sync with the Digital India initiative, enhancing service delivery, especially in rural areas where Waqf properties play a critical role.

A Call to Action: Unity for Systemic Change

UMEED merges faith and governance, leveraging digital innovation to engage India’s youth while tackling decades of mismanagement. To our Muslim brothers and sisters, we say: Your faith is your strength, and your unity is your shield. Surah Al-Asr (103:3) urges collective action for truth—join TMML’s “Waqf for the Ummah” campaign to reclaim Waqf for education, healthcare, and empowerment. To all Indians regardless of your religious belief, we affirm: These reforms uplift everyone neglected by institutional failures, making Waqf a shared asset for national progress. To political leaders across parties, we demand resolve to overcome resistance from corrupt networks that have exploited Waqf for personal gain.

The 9 lakh crore Waqf legacy belongs to the people, not profiteers. The Tamil Maanila Muslim League (TMML) envisions a future where every Waqf endowment reflects justice, inclusion, and the compassion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). 

Join us in this sacred fight for reform.