Congress Challenges Government's Sanchar Saathi App Mandate: A Threat to Privacy?

Congress Denounces DoT's Sanchar Saathi App Directive

New Delhi: On Monday, the Congress party voiced strong opposition to the Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) mandate requiring the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi application on new mobile devices, labeling it unconstitutional and calling for its immediate retraction.

K C Venugopal, the Congress general secretary, emphasized that the right to privacy is a fundamental aspect of the right to life and liberty.

He stated, “The government cannot act as a surveillance entity. This directive from the DoT is not just unconstitutional; it infringes upon our fundamental rights as outlined in Article 21 of the Constitution.”

Venugopal further criticized the app, describing it as a 'dystopian tool' that would enable the government to monitor the actions, communications, and choices of every individual in the country.

He accused the government of conducting a series of 'relentless assaults' on the constitutional rights of citizens, asserting that such actions would not be tolerated.

The Congress leader reiterated, “We categorically reject this directive and demand its immediate withdrawal.”

Additionally, Venugopal shared the DoT's directive under the amended Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024, which mandates the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app to verify the authenticity of mobile devices.

According to the directive, all mobile device manufacturers and importers intending to sell in India must submit compliance reports to the DoT within 120 days of the directive's issuance.

Non-compliance could lead to penalties under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and the amended Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024, with the directive taking effect immediately and remaining in place until further notice from the DoT.