A directive from the Union government requiring all smartphone manufacturers to embed the Sanchar Saathi application in every device sold in India and to add it to existing phones through software updates has ignited intense political and public backlash. The rule also prevents users from uninstalling or altering the app, prompting widespread fears of government overreach.

Opposition Raises Alarm: “Snooping”, “Dictatorship”, “Big Brother”

Leading Opposition figures swiftly condemned the mandate, arguing that such compulsory installation undermines citizens’ privacy.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram was one of the first to question the order, declaring on social media, “This is Pegasus plus plus,” and warning that “Big Brother will take over our phone and pretty much our entire private lives.”

His remarks echoed across X, where “Pegasus” dominated the trends list as users speculated about potential surveillance. Posts ranged from alarmed to sarcastic. One user asked, “Government is now officially spying on people? Pegasus?” while another claimed, “Will save taxpayers a lot of money… This is true Swadeshi surveillance in Viksit Bharat.”

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal criticised the directive even more sharply, stating, “A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian.” He argued that the order violates Article 21, adding, “Big Brother cannot watch us.”

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also accused the government of creeping authoritarianism. “It is a snooping app… They are turning this country into a dictatorship in every form,” she said, emphasising that privacy is essential for ordinary communication.

Her colleague Renuka Chowdhury linked the controversy to earlier allegations of phone surveillance, saying, “They brought in Pegasus and have been unable to keep it under control… This is the real violation of National Security.”

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, while less confrontational, stressed that such tools should not be imposed on citizens. “These apps can be useful provided they are voluntary… Making anything compulsory in a democracy is troubling,” he said.

What Exactly Is Sanchar Saathi?

Sanchar Saathi is a government-built digital security platform designed to assist mobile users through a collection of services offered via an app and website. Its capabilities include:

• reporting suspicious calls or messages
  

• checking whether a device is counterfeit through IMEI details
  

• helping block and track lost phones
  

• listing all numbers registered in a person’s name
  

• enabling reporting of potentially fraudulent links or international calls

The app incorporates the Chakshu feature, which allows people to report cyberfraud attempts so authorities can intervene early.

Why People Are Worried

Although Sanchar Saathi is not spyware and does not operate like Pegasus, privacy advocates say the mandatory installation raises legitimate concerns because of the broad system permissions the app requires. These include access to:

• call and SMS logs
  

• the camera
  

• stored photos and files
  

• network and device location data
  

• SMS-sending capability

Such permissions generally help with fraud reporting, IMEI scanning, and lost-phone recovery. But critics argue that compulsory, non-removable apps with extensive access create opportunities for misuse especially when the app is controlled by the state.

Government’s Rationale

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has defended the directive as a measure to counter IMEI-related fraud and to improve mobile security. The agency described Sanchar Saathi as a “citizen-centric initiative” aimed at protecting users from counterfeit phones and online scams. The DoT has required that the app must remain visible during initial device setup and cannot be disabled to ensure its intended functions work.

Public Pushback Continues

Despite the government’s assurances, many users felt blindsided by the sudden order and questioned the need for a compulsory system-level installation when the service could simply be optional. The online reaction dominated by references to Pegasus reflects widespread unease about digital privacy in India.