Vijayawada: Ten Left parties have demanded immediate withdrawal of charges under the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against Anakapalli Rythu Sangham district secretary and CPM district secretariat member M Appalaraju and called for his unconditional release.

The Left parties strongly condemned what they described as the illegal and vindictive use of the PD Act against a leader who has been working on people’s issues in a democratic and peaceful manner.

The statement was jointly issued here on Thursday by CPM state secretary V Srinivasa Rao, CPI state secretary G Eswarayya, CPI(ML) New Democracy leaders P Prasad and M Ramakrishna, CPI(ML) leader Jasti Kishore Babu, MCPI(U) leader Katam Nagabhushanam, CPI(ML) Liberation leader B Bangarraju, SUCI(C) leader BS Amarnath, Forward Bloc leader PV Sundara Rama Raju, and Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Janaki Ramulu.

They stated that the detention order mentions 19 cases against Appalaraju from May 2013 to December 2025. Of these, he was acquitted in two cases, 12 cases were closed, and four are under investigation, with the majority being minor cases under Section 151.

The party leaders alleged that invoking the PD Act in such circumstances clearly reflects an attempt to intimidate struggles taken up in support of poor farmers, agricultural labourers, fisherfolk, and marginalised Dalit and tribal communities cultivating assigned lands.

In this statement, they pointed out that irrespective of whether Congress, TDP, YSRCP or the present TDP-led coalition was in power, Appalaraju consistently stood by displaced and affected people.

The Left parties alleged that the government is acting under pressure from corporate and pharma lobbies, suppressing protests against land acquisition and environmental damage.

They also criticised the district administration for issuing the detention order without examining his actual record, despite recent Supreme Court guidelines cautioning against the misuse of the PD Act.