Men’s concerns cannot be ignored, says Ashok Mittal; calls for National Commission

Chandigarh: Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal has called for a serious national discussion to establish a "national commission for men", bringing together researchers, legal experts, counsellors, social workers and policymakers to systematically study issues affecting men.

He was speaking at an event here, after a report documenting cases of male intimate partner murders and suicides among men in India was unveiled, a press release said.

Mittal said the discussion was not about creating a contest between men and women but about ensuring that genuine concerns of every citizen are heard.

"Can there be true justice if some voices are still unheard? This is not a question of taking away anyone's rights, and it is certainly not a question of standing against women. India has made important progress in protecting women's safety, dignity and rights, and that progress must continue. But in this journey towards justice, genuine concerns relating to men cannot be ignored. We need a serious, sensitive and institutional conversation around these issues," the BJP leader said.

According to the press release, the report by Ekam Nyaay Foundation, titled "Husband Murder by Wife and Suicide by Men: A Research Report and Analysis on Incidents Reported in the Media in the Years 2024 and 2025", documents 244 husband/intimate partner murder cases in 2024 and 419 in 2025, while recording 277 husband/intimate partner suicide cases in 2024 and 426 in 2025.

The report is based on incidents identified through media reports, it said.

Mittal said the numbers should not only become statistics but should lead to better questions about prevention, mental health and access to support.

"Behind every number is a person, a family and a story. These numbers remind us that men's safety, mental health and well-being also need our attention. We need to ask whether our sons and young men can speak about failure, relationship problems, financial pressure or emotional stress, and whether they can access counselling without fear or judgement. Sometimes, a person does not need a courtroom first; he may simply need someone to listen," he said.

He said a national commission for men should be created not merely as another grievance forum but as a national platform that can listen, understand, support, research, recommend and reform.

Such an institution, he said, could bring together researchers, legal experts, counsellors, social workers and policymakers to systematically study issues affecting men.

"A national commission for men should never become a platform for men versus women. It should not be against any existing women's institution, and it should not weaken the rights of women. Its purpose should be to understand the problem properly and find the right solutions," he said.

Mittal said it can help with genuine grievances and legal issues, improve legal awareness, support counselling and mental health, study family disputes and parental alienation, examine domestic abuse and violence against men, and understand the reasons behind suicides among men.

He proposed six broad areas for consideration: establishment of a statutory national commission for men, creation of a national male well-being and victimisation database, examination of gaps relating to serious non-consensual sexual acts against adult male and transgender victims, a national men's mental health and suicide prevention programme, clearer shared-parenting and child-access principles, and periodic gender-impact audits of major laws. PTI