Government’s Push for Pre-Installed ‘Sanchar Saathi’ App Sparks Privacy Concerns, Opposition Seeks Clarity

The announcement, however, has drawn sharp criticism from Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, who argued that the measure raises far more questions than it answers. Hooda contended that while the government claims users may turn off the app, there is no transparent way for citizens to verify whether all its features actually cease functioning once disabled. Such ambiguity, he suggested, could intrude upon an individual’s right to privacy and fuel concerns about potential misuse or covert monitoring.

Hooda said the public deserves a clear and detailed explanation from the minister regarding the true extent of the app’s capabilities, how user data will be handled, and what safeguards will be instituted to prevent any form of surveillance. He noted that given the digital ecosystem’s growing complexity, even minor uncertainties concerning data access or backend functionalities can erode trust and heighten anxieties about state overreach.

As the government prepares to move forward with the rollout, the controversy underscores the broader national conversation surrounding digital rights, transparency, and the balance between public-interest tools and personal privacy. The coming days may determine whether the Centre offers the clarity demanded by critics, or whether the debate fuels deeper scrutiny of technology-enabled governance initiatives.