Congress leader KC Venugopal calls DoT’s ‘Big Brother’ App directive ‘unconstitutional’, demands immediate rollback

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, KC Venugopal, today slammed a Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directive mandating a pre‑loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled, branding it “beyond unconstitutional” and a “dystopian tool” that violates citizens’ right to privacy.

In a post on X, Venugopal wrote: “Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT Direction is beyond unconstitutional. The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.”
“A pre‑loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian. It is a means to watch over every movement, interaction and decision of each citizen. This is part of the long series of relentless assaults on the Constitutional Rights of Indian citizens and will not be allowed to continue. We reject this Direction and demand an immediate rollback,” Venugopal added.

Advertisement

The contested DoT directive reportedly orders telecom operators to preload government‑developed application on mobile devices — a “mandatory” app that users cannot delete. Critics argue the measure raises grave concerns about state surveillance, as the software could potentially enable tracking of users’ locations, communications and online activity.
The Supreme Court’s 2017 judgment recognized the right to privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution — the right to life and personal liberty. Legal experts say any state‑mandated software that permits pervasive monitoring without adequate safeguards could be challenged as violating this fundamental right.
Venugopal’s statement signals a potential legal battle, citing the constitutional guarantee of privacy.

The Congress party has framed the order as part of a “series of relentless assaults” on civil liberties under the current government.
Digital rights groups have also warned that compulsory pre‑installed apps could open the door to mass surveillance, eroding trust in government’s digital initiatives.
Venugopal’s call for an “immediate rollback” is expected to spark a debate.