New Delhi, Dec. 3 -- Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of communications, said on Tuesday that the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app, which a previous directive to mobile phone makers said must be pre-installed on phones, can be deleted by users if they so wish. The clarification came after widespread criticism of the move by digital rights activists and politicians, after some reports of the directive said the app could not be removed. To be sure, HT's report cited unnamed department of telecommunications (DoT) officials, and said that the app could be deleted by users. "This is a completely voluntary and democratic system-users may choose to activate the app and avail its benefits, or if they do not wish to, they can easily delete it from their phone at any time," clarified Scindia on X, adding that the app is meant to help users protect their privacy and stay safe from online fraud. He also repeated this to reporters outside Parliament. The Sanchar Saathi portal, launched by the government in May 2023, helps citizens check mobile connections linked to their IDs, report fraudulent numbers, and trace lost or stolen phones, as per its website. The mobile app was launched earlier this year in an effort to crack down on cybercrime. The confusion stemmed from one clause of the directive issued on November 28, but first reported Monday, that said phone makers had to ensure the app's "functionalities are not disabled or restricted." A DoT official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told HT that this clause is aimed at manufacturers, ensuring they don't preload the app in a way that renders it unusable or hidden. "It simply means they shouldn't later claim they installed it as required but that its features don't work or aren't visible to users," the official explained. But many took this provision to mean that users could not delete the app. To be sure, the wording seems to suggest as much, and executives across phone makers said DoT would do well to issue a note on the clarification. A second DoT official, who too asked not to be named, said one would be issued shortly....