Pegasus 'renamed' as Sanchar Saathi, govt spying on people: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said that 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.

Instead of putting people under surveillance, the government must focus on how the Pahalgam attack took place in April this year, which claimed 26 lives, and how terrorists enter India, the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

The Communication Ministry's order, dated November 28, mandating all mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi app in all handsets to be sold in India, as well as in existing devices through software update, has triggered a row.

Concerns have been raised about possible snooping and that the app could be used to read messages that users exchange.

"You must have heard about Pegasus (spyware). It would install a virus (malware) in phones and spy. They (the government) have changed the name of Pegasus to Sanchar Saathi. They are spying," Thackeray claimed while speaking to his party workers at his residence 'Matoshri' in Mumbai.

"You (government) are showing mistrust in people who trusted you," he added.

Amid privacy concerns over the Sanchar Saathi app, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday asserted that snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the app.

Depending on the feedback, the ministry is ready to make changes to the order regarding the installation of the app in devices, he told the Lok Sabha.

Asserting that the app is for the protection of people, he said the government wants to give choices to consumers.

If a consumer has not been registered on the app, then the app will not be operational and one can also delete the app, he stated.