New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) Tuesday dismissed the Opposition’s ‘snooping’ declare concerning the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app, which the federal government desires mandatorily pre-installed on all telephones. It’s meant to “present safety to customers” and there’s no menace to privateness, the ruling celebration has stated.

A political row has erupted over Centre’s directive to all cell phone producers and importers to pre-install the app on each smartphone bought in India inside 90 days, beginning 28 November.

“The federal government doesn’t need to listen in on the general public by way of this app. The app can not learn your messages, and can’t hearken to your calls  those you obtain or those you make). Sanchaar Saathi can not attain your private knowledge, it can not breach your private knowledge. The job of the app is to supply safety to customers,” he stated.

LIVE: Addressing Press Convention at @BJP4India HQ, New Delhi. https://t.co/ZDcCTVPuUA

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) December 2, 2025

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Tuesday criticised the app, calling it one more try to “strangulate the voice of the folks”.

In a put up on X, he wrote, “Sanchar Saathi app is one more addition to the lengthy listing of makes an attempt by the BJP to strangulate the voice of the folks. Modi authorities’s unilateral instructions to pre-load this app with out taking into confidence varied stakeholders and residents is akin to dictatorship. Why does the federal government need to know what residents discuss with their household and associates?”

#SancharSaathi app is one more addition to the lengthy listing of makes an attempt by the BJP to strangulate the voice of the folks.

Modi Govt’s unilateral instructions to preload this app with out taking into confidence varied stakeholders and residents is akin to dictatorship. Why does the…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 2, 2025

In response, Patra stated: “Sorry, Mr. Kharge, it isn’t to strangulate the voice of the folks, it’s for his or her safety.”

Patra additional stated that the primary intention of the app is to “forestall fraud, present safety, monitor misplaced or stolen cellphones”.

“The app is sort of a reporter. It should report suspicious calls, fraudulent calls. It will probably report spam calls, and malicious hyperlinks. And moments after you report such calls… the app will come into motion, and prevent from such fraud and so on which will have occurred.”

The MP added that many are asking whether or not the app is supposed for presidency snooping. “Does the federal government need to spy on you? No. The federal government doesn’t need to spy on anybody.”

Additional taking a dig on the Opposition, he stated that those that really feel they’ve indulged in misdeeds by way of their telephones will most likely not use the Sanchar Saathi app.

“I problem you, verify their cellphones. You’ll most definitely not discover the Sanchar Saathi app put in, as a result of they’re afraid. They know the reality, though the app can not learn messages, can not hearken to calls, and can’t breach any knowledge. However as a result of they’ve wrongdoing on their minds, they hold worrying: ‘We’ve performed so many misdeeds… if we set up this app, what if we get caught?’ This concern is inside them, though the app does not one of the issues they’re afraid of,” he remarked. 

The Union minister for communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia additionally sought to make clear the federal government’s place Tuesday, saying that the app will be deleted by the consumer.

“The digital safety of each citizen of our nation is our prime precedence. The Sanchar Saathi app goals to assist everybody defend their privateness and keep secure from on-line fraud. It is a utterly voluntary and democratic system—customers can activate the app and luxuriate in its advantages if they want, and in the event that they don’t, they will simply delete it from their telephone at any time,” he stated.

Nevertheless, level 7(b) of the course issued by the Division of Telecommunication says: “Make sure that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi utility is instantly seen and accessible to the tip customers on the time of first use or gadget setup and that its functionalities aren’t disabled or restricted.”

In the meantime, senior Congress chief Ok.C. Venugopal additionally described the transfer as “past unconstitutional”, demanding an instantaneous rollback.

“Huge Brother can not watch us. The Proper to Privateness is an intrinsic a part of the elemental proper to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Structure,” he posted on X Monday evening. “A pre-loaded authorities app that can not be uninstalled is a dystopian instrument to observe each Indian. It’s a means to observe over each motion, interplay and resolution of every citizen. We reject this Course and demand an instantaneous rollback.”

Huge Brother can not watch us. This DoT Course is past unconstitutional.

The Proper to Privateness is an intrinsic a part of the elemental proper to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Structure.

A pre-loaded authorities app that can not be uninstalled is a… pic.twitter.com/kx33c7fmda

— Ok C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) December 1, 2025

Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief, stated the mandate to make the app a everlasting cell characteristic is “one other BIG BOSS surveillance second”.

She posted on X: “Such shady methods to get into particular person telephones will likely be protested and opposed & if the IT Ministry thinks that as an alternative of making strong redressal techniques it should create surveillance techniques then it ought to be prepared for a pushback!”

(Edited by Mannat Chugh)

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Additionally Learn: Oppn dials up warmth on Centre over Sanchar Saathi app: Priyanka says ‘snooping’, Scindia says non-compulsory

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