Congress member in Rajya Sabha Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday expressed serious concern about the Sanchar Sathi mobile application, saying that it completely negates the privacy rights of every person.
Raising the issue in the Upper House during Zero Hour, Surjewala said that there are apprehensions over several features of the app that it could lead to monitoring of every user’s real-time location, search history, financial transactions and conversations through SMS and WhatsApp.
“The Government of India, Ministry of Communications, has reportedly issued an order under which all mobile phone manufacturers and importer companies will have to mandatorily upload the Sanchar Sathi app,” the Congress member said. It has also been said that this app has to be compulsorily installed in every mobile phone and smartphone.
According to the ministry’s November 28 order, it is mandatory for all mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Sathi app through software updates in new handsets sold in India as well as in older devices.
Raising the issue in the Upper House during Zero Hour, Surjewala said that there are apprehensions over several features of the app that it could lead to monitoring of every user’s real-time location, search history, financial transactions and conversations through SMS and WhatsApp.
“The Government of India, Ministry of Communications, has reportedly issued an order under which all mobile phone manufacturers and importer companies will have to mandatorily upload the Sanchar Sathi app,” the Congress member said. It has also been said that this app has to be compulsorily installed in every mobile phone and smartphone.
According to the ministry’s November 28 order, it is mandatory for all mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Sathi app through software updates in new handsets sold in India as well as in older devices.
