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New Delhi: Amid severe backlash around the government backed cybersecurity app that would be pre-installed for smartphone users, the Union ministry for communications has announced that the government has “decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers”.

The ministry statement came only hours after Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia told parliament that there is no scope for “snooping” through the government backed cybersecurity app and the directions to telecom companies and manufacturers “may be changed” following feedback from the public. Outside parliament he also said paragraph 7b of the directions had been ‘misconstrued’ and ‘nowhere does 7b say that the user cannot delete the app”.

“Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, Government has decided not to make the pre- installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” the union ministry for communication said in a press release on Wednesday (December 3).

While the press release made no mention of the criticism surrounding the government’s move to issue directions to smartphone manufacturers and telecom operators on November 28 which was only made public on December 1 after a Reuters report, it said that its intention was to “provide access to cyber security.”

“The Government with an intent to provide access to cyber security to all citizens had mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The app is secure........

© The Wire