Sanchar Saathi App Row: Opposition alleges ‘snooping’, govt says it’s not mandatory

Amid an ongoing row over the Sachar Saathi mobile app, the Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified on Tuesday (02 Dec) that users would have the option to activate the app only if they chose to, and would also be allowed to delete it. The opposition mounted a massive attack on the Government, alleging that the cybersecurity app is a tool for snooping on political opponents and citizens of the country.

“This app does not enable snooping or call monitoring. You can activate or deactivate it as per your wish… If you don’t want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It is optional… It is about customer protection. I want to clear all misconceptions… It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it on their devices or not is up to the user… It can be deleted from the mobile phone just like any other app…” Scindia said.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi labelled the app as a tool for "Snooping" on citizens' mobile phones, and called this is step towards turning India into a dictatorship. Malikaarjun Kharge, the president of Congress, called the initiative "yet another addition to the long list of attempts by the BJP to strangulate the voice of the people."

Also Read: India wants every smartphone preloaded with THIS cybersecurity app. What does it mean for you?

"Modi Govt's unilateral directions to preload this app without taking into confidence various stakeholders and citizens is akin to dictatorship," he said in a post on X.

Defending the government's directive, ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) MP Shashank Mani Tripathi hailed the app as a step towards enhancing citizens' sense of security.

“This is a very important step. I’m from IIT, so I understand the types of cyber attacks that are taking place. I understand the types of data being stolen during external pilots. This communication app will enhance people’s sense of security. Our data won’t escape, and every aspect of citizen protection that should be ensured will be digitally protected. I welcome this,” he said.

Govt notification over Sanchar Saathi

The row erupted following a notification by the Department of Telecommunications directing all mobile manufacturers to ensure that the Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported in India within 90 days, starting November 28.

"Ensure that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application is readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted," the notification says.

Sanchar Saathi is a government-developed, cybersecurity application aimed at providing multiple citizen-centric services through a mobile app and its web portal. These services include Chakshu, which helps phone users report suspected cyber fraud.