Political Storm Over Sanchar Saathi: Congress Slams ‘Unconstitutional Snooping,’ Govt Rejects Charge

The Opposition has launched a strong attack on the Centre over the Sanchar Saathi directive, calling the move “beyond unconstitutional” and a direct threat to citizens’ privacy. Congress leaders argued that a pre-loaded, non-removable government app amounted to a dystopian form of surveillance and demanded its immediate withdrawal. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra described the directive as an act of snooping, warning that such measures push the country towards authoritarianism. She stressed that while robust cybersecurity systems are important, they cannot be used as a license to access every citizen’s phone or private communication. The Congress further claimed that the DoT’s directive undermines the right to privacy under Article 21, rejecting the move outright and accusing the government of overreach. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, dismissed the allegations, saying the Opposition was “manufacturing issues” in the absence of real concerns, and insisted that the criticism was politically motivated.