Priyanka says mandatory pre-install of Sanchar Saathi shows country ‘slipping into dictators
NEW DELHI: With the Department of Telecom asking mobile phone makers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi application in new handsets, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday described it as a “snooping app” and alleged that the government is turning the country into a dictatorship.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) directed manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets to ensure that its fraud reporting app Sanchar Saathi is pre-installed in all new devices within 90 days.
Asked about the issue by reporters outside Parliament, she said, “You are calling it a snooping app so you know what it is. So it is a snoopingwhat it is. So it is a snooping app. Clearly, it is ridiculous…citizens have their right to privacy, even all of you must be having the right to privacy to send your messages to family, friends, without the government looking at everything.”Asked whether the DoT order should be rolled back, she said, “They should do it. We will discuss today to finalise what our stand is.”
On the argument that the app is for reporting fraud and essential for national security, she said there should be an effective system to report fraud and “we have discussed this at greater length on cyber security and definitely there is a need for cyber security but that does not mean that it gives you an excuse to go into every citizen’s telephone.”
“I don’t think any citizen would be happy with that,” she addedFor all such devices that have already been manufactured and are in sales channels in India, the manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets will be required to push the app through software updates.
“All manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets that are intended for use in India shall submit compliance reports to the DoT within 120 days from issue of these directions,” the direction said.Telecom subscribers can also report about fraudulent calls, lost mobile phones etc through the app.
The DoT has asked mobile phone companies 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.
The DoT direction said that action will be taken as per the provisions of the Telecommunications Act 2023, the Telecom Cyber Security Rules 2024 and other application laws if the firms fail to comply.
The app enables users to report International Mobile Equipment Identity number (IMEI)-related suspicious misuse and also to verify authenticity of IMEIs used in mobile devices.
“It is not just one thing, it is not just snooping on the telephones, it is overall, they are turning this country into dictatorship in every form. You ask me everyday, why Parliament is not functioning, it is not functioning as they (the government) are refusing to talk about anything,” the Congress general secretary said.