‘No Snooping, No Forced Use’: Scindia Defends Sanchar Saathi App

New Delhi: Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday told Parliament that the government-backed Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app cannot be used to snoop on citizens or access private data, amid political uproar over a mandate requiring the app to be pre-installed on all new smartphones.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Scindia said the app is entirely voluntary and can be deleted or left inactive at the user’s choice. “Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app,” he said, adding that pre-installation was intended only to improve accessibility. “In a democracy, every citizen has the right to delete any app.”

The minister said the government is open to revising the order based on public feedback. His remarks echoed a clarification he posted on X on Tuesday, calling the system “completely voluntary”.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Scindia compared Sanchar Saathi to other pre-installed apps such as Google Maps, saying users can choose to disable or remove them. However, concerns persisted among opposition MPs who questioned whether deleting a pre-loaded app fully disables its permissions and functions.

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said citizens fear the app could be secretly activated even when inactive, calling it a potential “attack on privacy.” Several opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karti Chidambaram and Priyanka Chaturvedi, accused the government of enabling surveillance, likening it to global examples of state monitoring.

The Sanchar Saathi mandate has triggered public concern over privacy, especially after the 2021 Pegasus spyware controversy. Civil society groups have also flagged issues related to root permissions and the inability to fully remove pre-installed apps on some devices.

Scindia reiterated that the app will not operate without user registration. “If the app is on your phone, it does not mean it will operate automatically,” he said.

Sanchar Saathi, developed by the Department of Telecommunications, functions as a security and awareness platform to help users manage digital identities, report suspicious activity, protect devices and learn about telecom safety and cyber risks. It is available both as an app and a web portal. (Agencies)