Sanchar Saathi snooping allegations: Modi govt’s plan, privacy fears, Apple pushback & global cases

The government’s new directive asking phone makers to mandatorily pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app has triggered an uproar. The government says it’s a cybersecurity tool to fight scams, block stolen phones, verify IMEIs and report fraud. But critics, digital rights groups and even opposition parties warn that forcing a government app onto every device without safeguards raises serious privacy, surveillance and data-control concerns. ThePrint Editor (Operations) breaks down what the app does, why the directive is controversial and comparisons with global digital-surveillance debates.