Governments must reach out to people in inclusive way: Obama

New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) US President Barack Obama Tuesday said that governments and leaders in this "modern age of communication" have to reach out to people in an "inclusive way".

Addressing the Indian people through the Maan Ki Baat radio programme along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the new generation youth can, using their mobile phone, get information and images from all around the world and that is "extraordinarily powerful".

"The governments and leaders cannot simply try to govern...But rather have to reach out to people in an inclusive way, and an open way, and a transparent way. And engage in a dialogue with citizens, about the direction of their country," he said, answering a query on what approach the governments and leaders should have when youth now are not limited by time or boundaries.

He said "open societies" like India and the US help generate debate when the citizens have information and this leads to "best decisions and the most stable societies".

"...one of the great things about India and the United States is that we are both open societies. And we have confidence and faith that when citizens have information, and there is a vigorous debate, that over time - even though sometimes democracy is frustrating - the best decisions and the most stable societies emerge and the most prosperous societies emerge."

"And new ideas are constantly being exchanged. And technology today, I think, facilitates that, not just within countries, but across countries," said Obama.

The US president said "closed societies" try to control the information that citizens receive but this is "not possible in this new information age...because information will flow inevitably, one way or the other, and we want to make sure we are fostering a healthy debate and a good conversation between all peoples".