New Delhi, Dec 2 (NationPress) The Sanchar Saathi mobile application is not compulsory and can be removed, stated Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday, amidst ongoing privacy concerns.

In his remarks to the press, Scindia emphasized that the decision to retain the app rests with users, and they are free to uninstall it from their devices.

He affirmed, "If you do not wish to keep Sanchar Saathi, you have the option to delete it. It is entirely optional... Our responsibility is to promote this app to everyone. Whether users choose to keep it on their devices is their personal choice," the Minister elaborated.

Moreover, he reassured the public that the platform does not facilitate any form of surveillance or call monitoring.

This clarification arrives in light of the Centre's initiative to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi mobile application on all newly manufactured or imported mobile devices in India, which was perceived as an infringement on privacy.

Opposing the initiative, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra labeled it a "breach of privacy and a move towards authoritarian governance".

The government defended its position, asserting that the initiative aims to protect citizens from purchasing counterfeit products.

According to the guidelines released on November 28, mobile manufacturers and importers are required to ensure that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi app is easily visible and accessible to users during the initial setup of the device, with its functionalities remaining intact.

Furthermore, for devices already manufactured and available for sale in India, manufacturers and importers are expected to facilitate the app's installation through software updates.

Companies must complete this implementation within 90 days and provide a report within 120 days.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is spearheading the Sanchar Saathi initiative to mitigate the misuse of telecom resources in cyber fraud and bolster telecom cybersecurity.

In a separate statement, the DoT noted that certain app-based communication services utilizing Indian mobile numbers for customer identification allow users to access their services without requiring the underlying Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) in the device running the app.

This feature is being exploited to perpetrate cyber fraud, particularly by operators located outside India.

The issue surrounding SIM binding in messaging applications and its associated misuse has been raised by numerous government entities and an inter-ministerial group.