The demand for a National Commission for Men (NCM) has resurfaced following the Siya-Ketan case, reigniting a debate over whether India needs a statutory body to address issues affecting men, including legal aid, mental health and alleged gender bias in certain cases. The conversation gained momentum after Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal renewed his call for institutional support for male victims. Why Is The National Commission For Men Being Discussed Again? The issue returned to the spotlight after the Pune Siya-Ketan case, in which Ketan Agarwal was allegedly murdered. Reacting to the case, former AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal described it as "deeply disturbing" and called for a fair and impartial investigation. He argued that men, too, can be victims of crime and deserve institutional support. What Is The National Commission For Men Bill? In 2025, Mittal introduced the National Commission for Men Bill in Parliament. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a statutory body to safeguard men's rights, examine grievances, recommend policy measures and provide legal and institutional support for male victims. In a post shared on 5 July 2026, Mittal reiterated his demand, saying the recent case underscored the need for such a commission. What Do The Crime Statistics Show? According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the government does not maintain comprehensive, centralised data specifically on crimes against men. However, the latest available NCRB data shows that men accounted for nearly 73.5% of all suicide deaths in India. The same NCRB report recorded nearly 4.4 lakh crimes against women in 2024, averaging around 1,200 FIRs every day. The most commonly reported offences included cruelty by husband or relatives, followed by kidnapping and abduction of women, and assault on women with intent to outrage modesty. Why Has The Debate Become Polarised? The Siya-Ketan case has triggered competing arguments online. Supporters of a National Commission for Men say the case highlights the need for institutional mechanisms to address crimes where men are victims and to ensure gender-neutral access to justice. Others argue that while such cases deserve attention, they receive disproportionate media coverage compared with the much larger number of crimes committed against women, and caution against allowing isolated cases to overshadow broader patterns of gender-based violence. As the debate continues, there has been no indication from the central government that it plans to introduce legislation establishing a National Commission for Men.