Pegasus 'renamed' as Sanchar Saathi, govt spying on people: Uddhav
Mumbai (PTI): 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.
ALSO READ: Snooping will never happen with Sanchar Saathi app: Scindia in LS
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.
ALSO READ: Apple to discuss Sanchar Saathi app order with govt, may not follow in its current form
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.
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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
