‘Men can be victims too’: Former AAP MP calls for National Commission for Men, cites Pune murder case Ketan Agarwal | Today’s news
In the light of the alleged murder case of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Rajya Sabha member and founder of Lovely Professional University, has reiterated his call for a ‘National Commission for Men’.
Ketan was allegedly pushed to his death from a cliff in Lohagad Fort by his fiancee Siya Goyal and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary on June 18.
Siya (20) and Chetan (22) were sent to judicial custody for 14 days till July 16. The court rejected the request to extend the police custody and at the same time rejected the request for a lie detector test after both accused officially refused to submit to a lie detector test.
Read also | Prosecutors seek extended custody for Siya, Chetan
Calling the case “deeply disturbing”, Mittal shared a clip of the December 2025 Rajya Sabha moving a private member’s bill.
“The case of Pune Ketan Agarwal is deeply disturbing. Ketan and his family deserve a fair, thorough and impartial investigation and above all justice,” Mittal wrote on X.
“The Ketan case is a reminder that men can be victims too,” he wrote. “They deserve institutional support, legal protection and a platform where their voice will be heard. Justice must be equal for all, regardless of gender.”
Read also | Siya Goyal shows no remorse even as the Pune police escort the murder accused for investigation
What does the National Commission for Men Bill say?
The National Commission on Men Bill, 2025 has the status of ‘introduced’ on the Rajya Sabha website.
The proposed bill outlines the legal framework for the establishment of a National Commission for Men to protect men’s rights, address complaints and review policies that affect their physical, mental and social well-being.
The Commission will be designed to ensure diverse, professional leadership with significant legal authority, headed by a Chair and Vice-Chair, each with at least 15 years of experience in fields such as law, public administration, gender studies, sociology, psychology or social work.
The bill mandates that at least one individual from Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) and at least one member below 40 years of age must be members. In the investigation, the commission will act with the powers of a civil court.
The body, according to the bill, will serve as an investigative and academic center for men’s issues, including examining matters related to the violation or deprivation of men’s constitutional rights and sponsoring and conducting research on critical issues affecting men, including suicide rates, health disparities, unemployment, custody rights, and domestic violence.
The commission said it would offer direct assistance and work to reshape social narratives, such as providing counselling, legal aid and rehabilitation services to men in need.
It also suggests working with academic bodies (such as CBSE, NCERT and UGC) to launch campaigns that promote gender sensitivity, promote ‘healthy masculinity’ and promote emotional intelligence and non-violence among young men.
The bill contains strict boundaries to ensure that the new commission does not undermine existing protections for women. The provision cannot be used to limit or affect the rights and protections currently afforded to women under existing laws.
The Commission is prohibited from interfering with any complaint filed by a woman unless a court of competent jurisdiction formally declares her complaint to be false, malicious or an abuse of legal process.
Read also | Agra woman arrested after husband’s body found buried under bathroom floor
This proposed private law mirrors the National Commission for Women (NCW), a statutory body established in January 1992 (under the 1990 Act) to review legal safeguards, recommend legislation and facilitate women’s redressal of grievances.
Are private accounts becoming law?
Private accounts hardly even make it to the voting stage. Only 14 such bills have become law since independence, and none since 1970 has successfully passed both houses of parliament.
