Amid a huge row over the government’s recent directive to make the installation of the Department of Telecom’s Sanchar Saathi application mandatory on all new mobile phones, the Centre on Tuesday clarified that the app remains optional and it can be deleted if a user desires.
Speaking outside Parliament, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that while the government has mandated it for manufacturers and importers of mobile phones intended for use in India to mandatorily install the Sanchar Saathi app, it does not mean the application cannot be uninstalled.
“If you don’t want the Sanchar Saathi application, you can delete it. It is optional. It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it on their devices or not, is up to the user,” the minister clarified, as per ANI.
Scindia, however, advised users to retain the app on their phones as the same will ensure digital safety. He also hit out at the Opposition for making an issue out of a non-issue.
“When the Opposition doesn’t have an issue, and they want to look for an issue, then we can’t help them find an issue. Our duty is to ensure the safety of users. What is the Sanchar Saathi app? This app is a portal which ensures the safety of each user. This is a step towards public participation. People shouldn’t object to this; they should welcome it,” the Telecom Minister told reporters.
What Opposition said on Sanchar Saathi App order
Earlier, the Opposition, especially the Congress party, had described the government directive as a dictatorial order. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dubbed the Sanchar Saathi application “a snooping app”.
“I mean clearly, it’s ridiculous… citizens have their right to privacy to send their own messages to family, friends without the government looking at everything. They are turning this country into dictatorship in every form. Parliament is not functioning because they are refusing to talk about anything,” she stated.
Priyanka’s brother and LoP, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi refused to comment immediately on the matter and said he would speak on the issue during a debate in Parliament. “I will not comment now,” Rahul told reporters.
Another Congress MP, Manickam Tagore, said the government was aiming for strong surveillance through the app. “Strong surveillance on whom? On every woman, every daughter of this country. Why this thirst for information? Why this kind of cheapness? Across the world, there are countries facing financial and cyber frauds, but has anyone used this kind of methodology? No. This can only happen in places like North Korea where there is a dictatorship. India is not a dictatorship. We will protest. India will not accept such measures,” Tagore told reporters.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, meanwhile, said he would go through the issue in detail before passing a judgment. He, however, advised the government to explain its intentions to the public. “… but common sense tells me that these apps can be useful provided they are voluntary. Everybody who needs them should be able to download them. Making anything compulsory in a democracy is troubling. But I need to look a little more into what the logic is of the government. In fact, the government should explain all this to the public instead of just passing an order that the media reports. I think we need to have a discussion where the government explains what their thinking is,” the former Union minister said.
Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran also slammed the government over the issue, stating that the Sanchar Saathi app will adversely affect the right of privacy of individuals.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas described the directive as a blatant invasion of the privacy of the people. “Pre-installed, no removal; that means it’s mandatory for 120 crore instruments. This is another form of surveillance. And the next step would be, like, putting angle monitors and brain chips. Every moment of what people say and think will be monitored by the government.”
#WATCH | Delhi | On the debate around Sanchar Saathi app, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia says, “When the opposition has no issues, and they are trying to find some, we cannot help them. Our duty is to help the consumers and ensure their safety. The Sanchar… https://t.co/Kr3juNrGFq pic.x.com/npwm9R1Kf2
— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2025
Govt order on Sanchar Saathi App
Earlier, in a press release issued on Monday, the Centre said that in order to safeguard citizens from buying non-genuine handsets, enable easy reporting of suspected misuse of telecom resources and to increase effectiveness of the Sanchar Saathi initiative, the DoT is mandating manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets that are intended for use in India to ensure that the Sanchar Saathi mobile application is pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India.
Further, it has to be ensured that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application is readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted. “For all such devices that have already been manufactured and are in sales channels in India, the manufacturer and importers of mobile handsets shall make an endeavour to push the App through software updates. Directions mandate to complete the implementation in 90 days and submit the report in 120 days,” the release added.