Winter Session Day 3: Snooping impossible with Sanchar Saathi app, Scindia tells LS

Renuka Chowdhury defends dog incident, shrugs off BJP objections

Congress MP and former Union Minister Renuka Chowdhury, who recently courted controversy by entering Parliament with a dog and criticising fellow lawmakers, remained unapologetic on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, she insisted that she has broken no rule and is unbothered by threats of action from BJP leaders. “If they want to bring a motion against me… let them do so; it doesn’t matter to me,” she said, adding that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had once arrived at Parliament in a bullock cart. She argued that dogs hold significance in Hindu tradition and maintained that no parliamentary rule had been breached.

Responding to questions about the BJP’s objections and the possibility of a privilege motion, Chowdhury dismissed the criticism and even offered a mock “bark” to underscore her point. She reiterated that the warnings from the ruling party do not concern her and that she stands by her actions inside the Rajya Sabha.

Rajya Sabha proceedings resume

Rajya Sabha proceedings resume at 2 pm after lunch. 

Govt defends Sanchar Saathi app amid Opposition's privacy concerns

Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar on Wednesday described the Sanchar Saathi application as a crucial tool against cyber fraud, echoing remarks made earlier in Parliament by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. He stressed that the app can be removed from phones, adding that the government is open to reviewing the directive mandating its pre-installation.

Urging critics to examine the platform themselves, he said, “I ask anyone who says it is a snooping app to please download the app… This is, in my view, probably the only way to prevent cyber fraud.”

Sekhar explained that the purpose of the app is to gather inputs from informed users and use that knowledge to assist vulnerable groups. He noted that it has been developed in multiple regional languages and highlighted its reach, saying “almost 20 crore website hits are coming… and 1.4 crore people have already downloaded this app.” He also pointed out that both Apple and Google have vetted the application, reiterating that users may delete it if they choose.

Earlier, Scindia told the Lok Sabha that the app does not function unless a user registers, stating, “Till the user registers in the app, it will not operate.” He added that the government is ready to modify the DoT order if public feedback demands it and maintained, “Snooping is not possible, nor will it be done," reported ANI. The Opposition, however, has raised privacy concerns over the mandatory pre-installation requirement.

Giriraj Singh slams Opposition protest as media gimmick

BJP MP Giriraj Singh on Wednesday criticised the Opposition’s protest in Parliament, alleging that their demonstrations are staged merely to draw media coverage after losing public backing. He said that leaders who attack the Speaker outside the House resort to disruption inside it, claiming “nothing is left for them except doing such things.”

His remarks came on a day when senior Congress leaders-Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi-joined the INDIA bloc’s protest against the four labour codes at the Parliament complex, holding banners stating that the laws promote “corporate jungle raj.”

The demonstration followed the government’s decision to agree to the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on electoral reforms, scheduled for December 9. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said after an all-party meeting that the Lok Sabha will debate the 150th anniversary of “Vande Mataram” on December 8 and electoral reforms the next day. He told ANI he expects a constructive discussion, noting that SIR is an administrative issue decided by the Election Commission.

Vaishnaw calls fake news a threat, plans action on deepfakes

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described fake news as a serious danger to democratic processes, stressing the need for firm action against those producing AI-generated deepfake videos and circulating misinformation. Addressing the Lok Sabha during Question Hour, he said the government is preparing new rules to curb fake news and strengthen institutional safeguards to deal with emerging threats.

Vaishnaw noted that individuals and networks responsible for spreading false content often operate outside the bounds of Indian law, making enforcement essential. He welcomed the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, chaired by Nishikant Dubey, saying the panel had offered valuable guidance that will inform upcoming regulatory measures. At the same time, he emphasised the importance of maintaining a careful balance between tackling misinformation and preserving freedom of expression.

Responding to a query on online betting, the minister said the Modi government has enacted stringent legislation to regulate online money-gaming platforms. On complaints about TV channels allegedly airing misleading content, he said both the government and the Press Council of India examine such cases and act when necessary.

(With agency inputs)

Scindia says Sanchar Saathi app cannot enable snooping

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia dismissed concerns that the Sanchar Saathi safety app could enable surveillance, insisting that snooping is neither possible nor will occur through the platform. Responding during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, he emphasised that the app is intended solely to safeguard users. Reiterating his point in Hindi, he said, “Sanchar Saathi app se na snooping sambhav hai, na snooping hoga.”

Amid the debate surrounding the ministry’s recent directive, Scindia added that the objective is to empower citizens by giving them tools to protect themselves. The order issued on November 28 requires all smartphone manufacturers to preload the government-run cybersecurity app on every new device sold in the country, and to roll it out to existing handsets via software updates.

The directive also instructs companies to ensure the app is clearly visible and accessible during initial setup and that none of its features are disabled or restricted for users.

(With agency inputs)

Centre outlines steps to boost the global ranking of universities

Nominated member Satnam Singh Sandhu raised concerns about the performance of Indian universities in global rankings such as the Times Higher Education and QS World Rankings. He pointed out that perception constitutes 50% of the overall score, influenced heavily by the proportion of international students and faculty, and sought clarity on what steps India is taking to strengthen this component.

Responding, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar outlined several ongoing government initiatives aimed at attracting global talent. He cited programmes like Spark, focused on faculty and research, as well as Gyan and Study in India, which are designed to draw international students and academics. Majumdar further noted that the UGC has introduced options for double and twin degrees with foreign institutions, opportunities that were not previously available. He added that Indian universities are also expanding overseas, referencing the new Zanzibar campus of IIT Madras as an example of this outreach.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2pm for lunch

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2pm for lunch after completion of Question Hour. Lok Sabha proceedind continue.

Priyanka Chaturvedi seeks strict action against food, drug adulteration

“Right from contaminated cough syrups that have been taking the lives of infants, prescribed by doctors, and low quality medicines available in the market as well food adulteration that leads to adulteration across the country needs to be brought under control and we need to have more stricter measures and punitive actions against those who are flouting these norms,” says Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Vickram Chaturvedi. 

Gaurav Gogoi demands justice for Zubeen Garg's 'murder'

“The State Government of Assam says that Zubeen Garg’s death was murder. Then we want to know how that during a programme organised by the Government of India, a murder was committed on foreign soil. We want justice for Zubeen Garg and we request the Government of India to give the highest civilian honour to the late Zubeen Garg,” says Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi in Lok Sabha.