Article - RK's opines on Paternity Tests

Paternity suits rise as lovers opt for live-ins

Our Correspondent

Men refusing to acknowledge a child as their own till the paternity credentials have been established is now gaining ground. This is one tricky issue that puts many of them in a fix. The last thing they want is to be saddled with a child that is not their own. So more and more men are openly opting for paternity tests to protect themselves from exploitation by their girlfriends.

Recently ex-Spice girl Melanie Brown, popularly called Mel B, has named Hollywood actor Eddie Murphy as the father of her unborn baby. But the latter says he€™d much rather wait for the blood test reports to verify the same. And why not? After all no man likes the idea of being treated like a sperm bank and having a baby has to be a joint decision of the couple.

Television actor Ram Kapoor says, "When a relationship turns sour, the man is definitely vulnerable to such accusations. In fact, men should ask for a paternity test to be conducted which will put all speculation to rest. Besides, I don€™t think it€™s fair on the woman€™s part to make such a major decision on her own. If she is accusing a man of fathering her child she can be proved wrong provided the man is absolutely certain that the child is not his. And the DNA test is the best way to prove it."

Men who previously had no qualms about getting into the act with their current ladyloves are now getting smarter. A couple of years back, British billionaire Steve Bing wisely opted for a paternity test before accepting Elizabeth Hurley€™s son Damien as his own because he wanted to protect his financial interests. More recently in India, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan refused to accept British writer Jessica Hines€™s son Jehan as his own despite the writer publicly naming him.

Delhi-based lifestyle therapist Preeti Sethi says that this trend is a reflection of where society is heading in terms of relationships. "With more and more couples getting into live-in relationships, there is a possibility of such situations arising. So, it is only fair that the man asks for a paternity test. Finally no matter what the nature of the relationship, the man should agree to take responsibility for a child he has fathered," she says.

In India, the scenario is unclear with regards to post-paternity test results. Says Hyderabad-based advocate Bhaskar Laxmi, "When it comes to a child born out of wedlock, there are no clear-cut laws as of now." So the onus of what course of action to take rests with the guys.