Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday clarified that the Sanchar Saathi app is entirely optional, users can choose not to activate it, and anyone can uninstall it at any time, following widespread privacy concerns and accusations of government surveillance after the Centre issued a directive to smartphone manufacturers.
Addressing reporters outside Parliament, the Union Telecom Minister firmly stated that the government-developed cybersecurity application involves no spying or monitoring of calls.
“The app works only when the user activates it, and it can be deleted whenever the user wants,” Scindia said, directly countering the controversy triggered by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directive.
“If you want, you can activate it; if you don’t, then don’t activate it... If you don’t want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It’s not mandatory. It is optional,” Scindia told reporters amid the massive public and political backlash over the Centre’s instructions to pre-install the app on new devices. The minister stressed that the sole intention behind the directive was to make a useful anti-cyber fraud tool more widely and easily available to citizens.
The minister stressed that the sole intention behind the directive was to make a useful anti-cyber fraud tool more widely and easily available to citizens.
Scindia’s clarification came a day after the DoT issued a formal order to all smartphone manufacturers directing them to:
- pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new mobile devices ,
- ensure the app is readily visible and easily accessible to users and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted in any way.
- push the app to existing devices already in use through over-the-air software updates.
Manufacturers have been given 90 days to comply with the mandate.
Launched in January 2025, the Sanchar Saathi portal and app provide citizens with multiple security features, including the ability to block a lost or stolen phone, check how many mobile connections are registered in one’s name, and report suspected fraudulent or suspicious activity.
The directive has sparked sharp criticism from smartphone companies as well as intense political opposition, with concerns centred on data privacy, user consent, and potential misuse of personal information.
The matter echoed in both Houses of Parliament, where the Congress party demanded an immediate rollback of the order. Opposition leaders labelled the move a grave violation of personal privacy. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed the app a “snooping app”, while Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi described it as yet another “BIG BOSS surveillance moment”.
Also Read: BJP denies ‘snooping app’ allegations, says Sanchar Saathi safe
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