The Most Shameful Moment of 2025
Read on as Team ummid.com takes a review of the soon-to-be-ending year, and chronicles the most shameful moment(s) and most ashamed moments of the Year 2025
1.
Journalists are honored as one of the key pillars of any society. But shamefully, 2025 is ending as one of the deadliest year for reporters and journalists.
The very first case of the murder of journalists was reported from Bijapur locality of Chhattisgarh State in India when Mukesh Chandrakar (34) was found dead on January 03, 2025. The slain reporter was considered a courageous journalist who made a mark in investigative journalism. He, however, has to lose his life for highlighting misappropriation of funds and corruption in various government projects in his locality.
Around three months later in one of the most shameful incidents of the year, Israeli Occupation Forces (IDF) bombed a tent housing Palestinian journalists, killing two and wounding nine others while burning them alive.
These are just two examples to highlight the inhuman, dealdy and shameful treatment of journalists. The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in its annual report said that the total number of journalists killed reached 67 globally this year, slightly up from the 66 killed in 2024. And, nearly half of them have been killed by Israel.
2.
The Year 2025 also witnessed a number of cases where doctors and medical professionals on duty were shamefully targeted, humiliated, murdered and killed. And, again Israel and its military have topped on this front too. The torture of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who risked his life to save the wounded in Gaza, in the Israeli custody can ashamed any civilised society. The world, however, siletnly watched.
In another tragic but shameful incident, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IDF) deliberately killed and executed 15 paramedics in Rafah, in Southern Gaza Strip. According to field evidence, Israeli forces killed eight Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics, five Civil Defence personnel, and one UNRWA employee; all were on duty at the time of their targeting. The killing, however, failed to move the world.
Then there was a sad case of a female doctor in India's Maharashtra who was forced to end her life after her complaint of rape and harassment against a Police officer met with dead ears.
3.
The Year 2025 also witnessed attacks on Art and Culture but the governments responsible to tackle the issue chose to ignore. Two cases that the Year 2025 witnessed rang the alarmed bells but failed to move those at the helm of the affair.
The first case was reported from Hyderabad, Telangana where a book fair was targeted, and publishers and booksellers were harassed.
One and half month later, more aggressive and violent scene was staged at Tirupati book exhibition in Tamil Nadu when a bookstall was attacked and books were burnt.
4.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) was hailed when it issued arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As the world looked at the governments to take note of the ICC arrest warrant and bring Netanyahu to book for his crimes, the U.S. Congress instead passed a Bill seeking sanctions against the ICC.
In a similarly shameful act, the government in Poland passed a resolution saying Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israelis facing ICC arrest warrants are welcome to move around in the country without any fear.
In a related shameful action, the United States sanctioned Francesca Albanese, who has served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories since 1 May 2022, for repeatedly exposing Israel and its supporters in its crimes against the humanity.
5.
The Year 2025 has been difficult for the Indian Muslims, Christians and other minorities who continued to face the brunt of hate speech, state sponsored terror and high handedness by the present dispensation, police and right wing groups like previous years.
If there was a clear evidence of widespread police brutality and administrative lapses following the riots in Prabhani, Maharashtra, a shameful incident was reported from Raghunathgarh Village, Alwar in Rajasthan where a one-month-old girl child Alisha was brutally killed by police in a home search raid.
Those associated with educational institutions too were not spared. Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), was arrested by Assam Police in a case termed as intimidation and witch-hunt whereas Khadija Sheikh - a student of Sinhgad College Khandwa, Pune, and Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Associate Professor at Ashoka University were taken into custody for some remarks made in the context of Operation Sindoor.
Also, Station House Officer (SHO) Shabana Azmi in Purnea, Bihar faced action for letting her relatives sit on her chair, and Fouzia Taranum, an award winning IAS officer, was abused because of her Muslim identity.
In equally shameful incident, 4 Muslim youth were stripped and brutally beaten by over 300 people who also set their vehicle on fire and thousands of families were forcibly displaced in Assam.
Post Pahalgam attack allso saw an alarming surge in hate speeches against Indian Muslims, especially Kashmiri traders and students.
As the Year 2025 nears its end, attacks on Christians surged, Christmas festival was disrupted, Churches were attacked and Christians were intimidated, but shamefully most of the perpetrators roamed scot-free.
6.
October 06, 2025 will go down in the Indian history when a ‘Hindu’ lawyer hurled his shoes at Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai while he was hearing a case in the Supreme Court of India.
The shoe attack on CJI Gavai occurred days after he, during a hearing related to the restoration of a damaged idol at Javari temple in Khajuraho, had told a Hindu Petitioner, "Go and ask your diety to do something. You say you are his staunch devotee."
“Sanatan ka upmaan nahi sahenge… (We will not tolerate insult to Sanatan)”, Rakesh Kishore, the Hindu lawyer was shouting as he was being taken away by the security personnel.
7.
The month of March this year brought shame to Uttar Pradesh and whole of India when reports came in that Professor Rajneesh Kumar, Head of the Geography Department and Chief Proctor at PC Bagla PG College, Hathras filmed and uploaded obscene videos of female students on pornographic websites.
The professor lured the female students on the promise of helping them in competitive exams and secure jobs. It is also found that the PC Bagla Degree College administration did not cooperate in the investigations.
8.
Diplomats, ambassadors and diplomatic staff are accorded respect and immunity. But, not in Israel.
In a shocking incident, Israeli forces on May 21, 2025 fired at International diplomats visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
Also Read: The Most Shameful Moment of 2024
The delegation of the foreign diplomats who were shot at by the Israeli forces in West Bank included representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and India.
In yet another shameful incident, hundreds of aid seekers were bombarded by the Israeli Occupation Forces at the very moment they approached the aid distribution point in Gaza.
9.
An awkward and embarrassing incident was reported from Makkah, Saudi Arabia. It was on November 03 this year when a Security Personnel repeatedly assaulted an Egyptian couple inside Makkah Haram right at the backdrop of Holy Kaaba.
Wearing Ahram in itself makes the pilgrim privileged and safe from any assault. The Saudi Police Personnel, however, not only assauled the man but also his wife.
The incident sparked a huge outrage, especially in Egypt.
10.
The year also witnessed the humiliating scene when the Indians living in the United States of America were deported to India chained and shackled.
These are some of the incidents that shamed the whole world, and are unfit for any civilised society. But, the most shameful incidents reported in the Year 2025 were not one and two, but three.
A.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a celebrated officer of the Army’s Signal Corps, came to the lime light after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan to avenge Pahalgam terrorist attack.
But, in a shocking turn of events, Vijay Shah, a senior BJP leader in Madhya Pradesh, while addressing a public event, made the derogatory and insulting remarks against Col Sofiya and linked her with terrorism due to her Muslim identity.
B.
Chief Minister Bihar Nitish Kumar forcibly pulled down Hijab from the face of a Muslim doctor. Nitish Kumar was distributing appointment letters to AYUSH doctors at an event held at his official residence in the state capital Patna. During the event, when the Muslim female doctor wearing Hijab came to receive her appointment letter, Nitish gestured at her and reportedly asked her to remove the Hijab.
Even as she was confused and unable to decide what to do, Nitish himself pulled down her Hijab as cameras captured the moment. In a further embarrassment to the Muslim female doctor, those present at the function burst into laughter as the Chief Minister forcibly removed her Hijab.
C.
Former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar is convicted of rape, murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation. He was serving life sentence, but his sentencing was suspended by Delhi High Court which also granted him bail.
The Delhi HC order has been stayed by the Supreme Court of India. But, not before the matter sparked a nationwide outrage. However, shockingly, a group supporting and hailing rape and murder convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar clashed with those protesting against his bail in New Delhi.
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