ThePrint ThePrintAM: What’s the political controversy over Sanchar Saathi App?
Dec 3, 2025
The discussion centers around the controversial Sanchar Saathi app, mandated for pre-installation on smartphones. Priyanka Gandhi raises alarm over potential privacy infringements, calling it a snooping tool. The Communications Minister counters by stating the app is optional and highlights its intent to protect users. Concerns about relationships to the Pegasus scandal are brought up, while the BJP defends the app’s purpose as misunderstood. The conversation expertly balances the ongoing debate between security measures and citizens' privacy rights.
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Pre-Install Order Sparked Privacy Alarm
- The government's order to pre-install Sanchar Sathi triggered immediate political backlash over privacy fears.
- The directive's requirement that the app be visible at first use was widely read as making it non-removable, raising civil liberties concerns.
Opposition Links App To Surveillance Fears
- Opposition leaders framed Sanchar Sathi as a potential snooping tool and a threat to privacy and democracy.
- The controversy tied into wider fears from past spyware scandals and raised questions about government overreach.
Minister Stresses User Choice
- Union Minister Yodhir Adit Sindhiya emphasized user choice and urged clarity that the app is optional.
- He recommended users can activate, deactivate, or delete the app just like any other application.