New Delhi, Dec. 2 -- Leaders of Opposition parties targeted the Union government over the directions to mobile companies to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on cell phones, calling it a 'dystopian' tool for 'snooping' on citizens.

Amid the row, however, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia said Tuesday that installing the 'fraud reporting' app on all devices would be optional and can be deleted by users.

Criticising the Centre, Congress Member of Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the Centre's Sanchar Saathi app a tool for "snooping" on citizens' mobile phones, describing it as a step towards turning India into a dictatorship.

Vadra's remarks came a day after the Ministry of Communications directed smartphone ...