NAGPUR, DECEMBER 14: Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and newly-elected Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Dr Najma Heptullah has stressed upon developing transparency within democracy, in order to strengthen it further and check the loss of credibility daunting the representatives of the people.Parliamentarians today are looked at with suspicion and even a smallest mistake is magnified by the media. ``Every politician is not bad, majority of them are good,'' she observed.Under such circumstances, Parliamentarians and others ought to bring more transparency in their functioning and develop a spotlessly clean character, she said in reply to the felicitation accorded to her by the members of the State Legislature here at the Vidhan Bhawan on Tuesday, for being elected unopposed as the first women Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which represents 140 democracies of the world.The function was organised by the Nagpur branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and was chaired by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Arun Gujarathi, Chairman of the Legislative Council Prof N S Pharande, his deputy Vasant Davkhare, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Leader of the Opposition Narayan Rane and Nitin Gadkari were present besides a host of members of the State Ministry.Adding further, Dr Heptullah said that Pakistan was a classic example as to how democracy has failed from time to time owing to the feudal system of governance which existed there. The developments in the neighbourhood are worth taking for a lesson, she felt.Dr Heptullah said, as an attempt to bring in transparency in democracy, she floated a website, where people from the country and outside could find details of the developmental works undertaken by her. She said, she has urged other Rajya Sabha Members to download their information on the website.Coming down heavily on the present lot of Parliamentarians for not allowing the Women's Reservation Bill to get through, Dr Heptullah said this was being done since the members fear losing ground to the women. Even then the women could compete at par with men, provided they get equal and adequate opportunities.She said, she felt honoured on being felicitated by the people of the State she has been representing in the Rajya Sabha for over 11 years.In his address, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said it was a proud moment to have a Member of Parliament representing the State who will now be heading a body of world's great democracies. Her achievement assumes significance since she is the only woman to head the 110-year old international body.
