Government Faces Heat as Congress’ Pawan Khera Questions Mandatory ‘Sanchar Saathi’ App Installation

Khera alleged that such applications, when controlled by the state, could theoretically be misused to plant files or access personal data on citizens’ devices. He questioned why the government had not chosen less intrusive methods to enhance digital security, and demanded clarity on whether any form of public consultation had been conducted before taking a decision that affects nearly 800 million digital users across the country.

He further pressed the government to explain on what basis it assumed the consent of such a vast population for a measure that directly affects their digital autonomy. Challenging the ruling administration’s long-held claim of practising “minimum governance,” Khera remarked that the imposition of a mandatory app—one that potentially reaches into private spaces—contradicts the very principle the government publicly espouses.

The remarks add to the mounting debate over digital rights, privacy safeguards, and the tightening interface between state authority and personal technology. As the controversy grows, the issue is likely to intensify discussions about the limits of governmental oversight in the era of expanding digital ecosystems.