Sanchar Saathi App Won't Snoop, Spy, Read Your Messages Or Listen To Your Calls, Says BJP MP

BJP MP Sambit Patra on Monday dismissed concerns that the government’s Sanchar Saathi app is a surveillance tool, asserting that it “cannot read your messages” or “listen to your calls.”

“People are asking whether the Sanchar Saathi app is meant for government snooping. Does the government want to spy on you? No — N-O — no,” said Patra as reported by PTI, attributing the app’s purpose to user safety and fraud prevention.

Clarifying the questions around the new mandate Patra stressed, “The government does not want to spy on anyone. The Sanchar Saathi app cannot read your messages. It cannot listen to your calls, neither the calls you make nor the calls you receive.” He added, “Sanchar Saathi cannot access your private or personal data. It cannot reach or breach your personal data.”

Explaining the app’s primary functionality, Patra said, “So, what is the purpose of Sanchar Saathi if it cannot do any of this? Its purpose is to provide security to users. It helps prevent fraud. It can track stolen or lost mobile phones and ensure that they are recovered and returned to their owners.”

Patra concluded by reiterating that the app is designed for “fraud prevention, user safety, and tracking lost or stolen mobile phones,” and not for surveillance.

Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has clarified that the Sanchar Saathi app is not mandatory for users.

"The app is completely optional. If you want to delete it, you can. If you don't wish to register, you shouldn’t register and can remove it anytime," Scindia said in a conversation with reporters outside the Parliament.

The government had earlier mandated that all mobile phone manufacturers and importers 'pre-install' the 'Sanchar Saathi' application on devices sold and used in India.