The Centre has asked phone manufacturers to make the 'Sanchar Saathi' app, a government cybersecurity tool, a default app on all phones sold in India. This was announced in a press note by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Monday night.
To begin with, the Centre had issued a 90-day deadline for the phone makers to effect this order and had also asked for a report on compliance within 120 days. This announcement drew criticism from opposition parties.
On Tuesday, the Centre clarified that the app is not mandatory. Users can delete the app if they choose to.
The Sanchar Saathi app will be pre-installed and functional as soon as the phone is switched on. Earlier instructions mentioned that the app would come enabled with no option to remove it, which had raised apprehensions among opposition leaders.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi slammed the government, accusing it of taking the country towards dictatorship. She said the app can even keep track of private phone activity. Congress leader Karti Chidambaram called it “Big Brother,” warning it has the potential to intrude into personal privacy.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju dismissed the concerns, urging the opposition parties not to disrupt both Houses of Parliament. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also said users have a choice to keep or delete the app.
Scindia said, “When you buy a phone many apps are pre-installed. Users can remove them if they want. The app is meant to protect users from fraud. Registration is optional, and if a user does not register, the app stays inactive. The government’s role is to inform users about this protection.
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