Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of systematically converting India into a dictatorship by forcing mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Department of Telecom’s Sanchar Saathi application on every new handset sold in the country.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi labelled the app a “snooping tool” and warned that mandatory pre-installation directly violates citizens’ fundamental right to privacy. “Every message you send to your family, every private conversation—now the government wants to watch everything. This is not just one incident; it is a pattern of turning India into a dictatorship in every sphere,” she declared, linking the move to the repeated suspension of parliamentary proceedings and refusal to discuss critical public issues.

The DoT directive, issued last week, mandates all handset manufacturers and importers—including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi and others—to ensure Sanchar Saathi is factory-installed on every device within 90 days, with existing stock required to receive compulsory over-the-air updates. The order threatens strict action under the Telecommunications Act 2023 and Telecom Cyber Security Rules 2024 against non-compliant companies, and requires detailed compliance reports within 120 days.

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While the government defends the application as an essential anti-fraud platform that allows citizens to report fake calls, verify IMEI numbers and block stolen phones, Priyanka Gandhi rejected the national-security justification. “Yes, cyber security is important and fraud must be stopped, but that cannot become an excuse to enter every citizen’s phone. No citizen will accept the government permanently camping inside their personal device,” she asserted, adding that the Congress parliamentary party would finalise its official response after internal discussions.

The controversy has intensified concerns over digital surveillance at a time when opposition leaders repeatedly allege misuse of state machinery. With Sanchar Saathi set to become unavoidable on millions of new smartphones, critics argue the move effectively places a government-monitored application on every Indian citizens’ devices by default, marking what Priyanka Gandhi described as yet another step away from democratic norms and towards authoritarian control.

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