Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday attempted to contain the escalating uproar over the Centre’s directive requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all devices, asserting that the application is optional and can be deleted at any time. Scindia stressed that the app does not engage in spying or call monitoring and functions only if a user chooses to activate it. His statement came after widespread criticism and privacy concerns, despite the Department of Telecommunications’ formal order clearly stating that the app’s features must remain enabled and cannot be restricted.
Scindia said the government’s intention was to expand access to a tool designed to combat cyber fraud and help citizens check SIM ownership, block stolen devices and report suspicious activity. However, his remarks followed a directive that also mandates pushing the app to existing users via software updates and requires it to remain visible and accessible on all devices. Manufacturers have been given 90 days to comply.
The mandate has triggered a political storm along with strong pushback from the opposition. Congress leaders accused the government of violating privacy and enabling surveillance, calling the app “Pegasus plus plus” and a “snooping tool”. Critics argued that forcing an undeletable government-developed app onto users amounts to state intrusion into personal data. The controversy has also unsettled smartphone manufacturers, who say the directive raises major compliance and legal concerns.
The issue dominated discussions in Parliament, with the opposition demanding an immediate rollback. Meanwhile, the government continues to maintain that Sanchar Saathi is purely a cybersecurity and anti-fraud solution, though growing public concerns and conflicting signals between the minister’s clarification and the DoT mandate have continued to fuel the debate.
