Sanchar Saathi App Sparks Privacy Battle: Congress Slams 'Orwellian' Surveillance

Speaking to IANS outside Parliament, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, “This is so Orwellian. It feels like Big Brother wants to monitor everybody's mood and messages. They want to intrude into our private lives. A phone is no longer just a tool to make calls — it is a recorder of our daily lives. People store memories, personal conversations, and private chats in it. The government now wants access to all of this.

"This goes against liberty and individual freedom. This is not how democracies function. It is extremely undemocratic and must be resisted. Such things will erode personal space and violate citizens’ privacy. The government cannot enter private spaces like this.”

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also questioned the need for making the app compulsory.

He said, “If I feel the need for such an app, I should be able to download it voluntarily. If I don’t, I shouldn’t be forced to install it. That is basic common sense. The government must explain why it is being mandated.”

Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain added, “Will the government install this on every citizen’s phone and monitor their daily life? Is this what governance has come down to — tracking 140 crore people?”

RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha echoed similar concerns.

He said, “What is its name — Sanchar Saathi? It is not a ‘saathi’ (companion) for citizens; it seems to be a companion only for the government. We have read about surveillance states and Orwellian systems. Apart from Russia, nowhere in the world do such practices exist. If a government with such a huge majority still feels insecure, then may God help it.”

However, the BJP defended the move.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “The government will soon issue a clarification. But as someone with knowledge of telecom systems, I want to ask — are people facing cybercrimes or not? Cases of digital arrest and online fraud have increased, and even the Supreme Court has ordered CBI investigations in several cases. With hundreds of apps already installed on phones, one more app should not be seen as a major issue. It is a simple and protective measure.”

BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat also supported the initiative. She said, “India is a large country, and we take pride in embracing digitalization early. While this digital shift has brought many advantages, it has also increased cyber fraud. Even highly educated people have become victims. So, this app is a positive step. However, it is important to ensure that no one misuses it.”

Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia said Sanchar Saathi mobile app is not mandatory and can be deleted amid the privacy row.

Speaking to the media, Scindia noted that keeping the app is up to individuals, and it can be deleted from smartphones.

"If you don't want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It is optional... It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it in their devices or not is up to the user," the Union Minister said.

He also added that the "platform does not enable snooping or call monitoring".

The clarification comes as the Centre’s move to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi mobile application on all new mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India, was widely seen as a breach of privacy.

Criticising the move, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it a "violation of privacy and a step towards authoritarian governance."

The government maintained that it aims to safeguard the citizens from buying non-genuine items.

As per the guidelines, issued on November 28, mobile manufacturers and importers have to ensure 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.

Additionally, all such devices that have already been manufactured and are in sales channels in India, the manufacturer and importers of mobile handsets shall endeavour to push the app through software updates.

The companies have to complete the implementation in 90 days and submit a report in 120 days.

DoT is undertaking the Sanchar Saathi initiative for curbing the misuse of telecom resources for cyber fraud and ensuring telecom cybersecurity.

In a separate statement, the DoT said that it has observed that some of the app-based communication services that are utilising Indian mobile numbers for identification of their customers or users or for provisioning or delivery of services, allow users to consume their services without the availability of the underlying Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) within the device in which the app-based services are running.

- IANS