New Delhi: The controversy over the government’s push to have the Sanchar Saathi application pre-loaded on all new smartphones intensified on Tuesday, prompting Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to clarify that users will not be forced to use — or even retain — the app.
Speaking to reporters, Scindia sought to quell growing public concerns by emphasising that the software is neither compulsory nor automatically activated. “If you don’t want it, remove it,” he said. “Phones come with many pre-installed apps. You may keep them or delete them. The same applies here.”
In practice, some system apps—such as Google Maps on Android devices—cannot be uninstalled but can only be disabled. iPhone users, however, can fully remove the app. Scindia did not address that technical distinction directly, but maintained that Sanchar Saathi would remain dormant unless a user chooses to engage with it.
The minister insisted the tool is aimed at consumer safety, particularly in combating the rising incidence of digital fraud. “There’s nothing mandatory about it. If you don’t want to register, don’t register,” he said, adding that many citizens are unaware of mechanisms available to help verify stolen or counterfeit devices. “It is our duty to inform people about tools that protect them.”
Opposition leaders, however, accused the government of dressing up surveillance as security. Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal called the order “beyond unconstitutional” and warned that pre-installing undeletable apps threatens citizens’ fundamental right to privacy under Article 21.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra went further, branding Sanchar Saathi a “snooping app” and accusing the government of “turning the country into a dictatorship.” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi echoed those concerns, calling the move “another BIG BOSS surveillance moment,” while Congress MP Karti Chidambaram compared the policy to practices in Russia and North Korea.
Scindia dismissed the criticism as political theatre. “The opposition wants an issue where none exists,” he said, citing government data that placed cyberfraud losses in 2024 at nearly ₹22,800 crore. “When we try to empower citizens with tools to protect themselves, they call it Pegasus. You cannot convince those who refuse to see the facts.”
The Department of Telecommunications recently directed handset makers to ensure Sanchar Saathi was pre-installed under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, triggering widespread discussion about data rights, transparency and consumer autonomy. With both industry stakeholders and privacy advocates weighing in, the debate over the app’s future is likely to continue well beyond the minister’s latest assurances.
