Opposition Criticises Centre’s Sanchar Saathi Order, Says “Government Cannot Play Big Brother”
Political parties have attacked the Centre's decision to make Sanchar Saathi a compulsorily loaded app on all smartphones, saying it is a threat to the privacy of citizens, and called for immediate withdrawal of the mandate
ð Opposition Flags Surveillance Concerns
A new political controversy has emerged after the Department of Telecommunications ordered mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app in every smartphone sold in India from November 28. The government said that the app was needed to prevent theft of mobiles and avert rising fraud in telecom.
Officials said features such as IMEI tracking and the alert system “Chakshu” would enhance digital safety. They added that this would make it easier for users to report devices as stolen and avoid scams through mandatory installation.
However, opposition leaders maintain that the move violates the constitution. Congress leader K C Venugopal said that forcing a preloaded app that cannot be deleted amounts to an attack on citizens’ privacy. He expressed that the decision was undermining rights guaranteed under Article 21.
Other parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT), warned that the measure could open the doors for mass surveillance. They fear such an app may capture personal information, track user behaviour, or monitor communication activities.
According to the order from the government, it has been made compulsory that every new phone will have the Sanchar Saathi already installed during its initial setup. The devices already in the market should update the app by issuing software updates, and the manufacturers could get penalties for bypassing the rule. The Centre claims this step is only to protect the users, support the authorities in blocking stolen phones, and verify the authenticity of connections. It says the move is crucial in combating mobile-based cybercrime.
