Mandatory pre-installation of Saathi: Order withdrawn

The government on Wednesday withdrew the order mandating pre-installation of cyber security app Sanchar Saathi on smartphones by manufacturers.

The Department of Telecom said that it is removing the order mandating installation of the Sanchar Saathi app, following a 10-fold jump in voluntary app downloads in just one day.

"The number of users has been increasing rapidly, and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily.

"Just in last one day, 6 lakh citizens have registered for downloading the app, which is a 10x increase in its uptake. Given Sanchar Saathi's increasing acceptance, Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers," the DoT said in a statement.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed the Sanchar Saathi app is another version of Pegasus spyware, and accused the BJP-led government of trying to spy on the people who voted it to power.

Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray said, "Only an unpopular dictatorial government, selected by the blessings of a compromised institution, would want to spy on its own citizens by means of forcing phone manufacturers to have a government application without citizens downloading it by their own choice."

Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot accused the Centre of attempting to spy on citizens by making the 'Sanchar Saathi' app mandatory on all mobile phones.