The central government’s decision to make the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory on every smartphone in India has started a major political debate.

Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the app is effectively a rebranded version of the Pegasus spyware, accusing the BJP-led govt of spying

Mumbai : 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.

Learn what Pegasus spyware is, how it infects phones through zero-click attacks, and expert steps to detect and remove it for good.

Launched in January 2025, the Sanchar Saathi app operates both as a mobile app and a web portal, giving citizens tools to verify if a phone handset is genuine (via its IMEI), report suspicious calls/messages, report lost or stolen phones, block or blacklist such phones, and review all mobile connections registered in their name.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday alleged that the government’s Sanchar Saathi app is effectively a rebranded version of the Pegasus spyware, accusing the BJP-led administration of attempting to spy on the very citizens who voted it into office,

Sanchar Saathi is a digital safety program created by the central government. It offers several useful services for phone users through both a mobile app and a website.

As government mandates mandatory install of Sanchar Saathi app in all phones in India, many on social media are comparing it to the Pegasus spyware. Of course, that is hyperbole. But the government demand sure comes across rather blunt and in poor faith.

Heard about Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli company NSO Group? The name became popular in India after the New York Times broke a report in 2022 that Naren