Kumaraswamy accuses Eashwar Khandre of blocking HMT unit revival in Bengaluru

Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused Rural Development Minister Eshwar Khandre of obstructing the revival of HMT unit by pursuing the forest department’s claim over HMT land in Bengaluru.

Bengaluru: Rejecting the forest department's claim over the PSU-owned land, Kumaraswamy questioned Khandre's interest in the sprawling plot and alleged that the minister, who earlier held the forest portfolio, was attempting to derail efforts to revive the public sector undertaking.

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"Minister Khandre, a former forest minister, is extremely interested in HMT land. I don't understand why," Kumaraswamy told reporters while responding to the forest department's eviction notice.

The Union minister said the Centre was in the final stages of sealing a special package for HMT's revival when the forest department initiated eviction proceedings. "Just when the revival process was progressing, the forest department issued the eviction notice," he said.

Referring to the proposed biological park on 444 acres, Kumaraswamy questioned the state's priorities, alleging that several private structures, including marriage halls and residential buildings, had come up near Jakkur plantation area.

The ownership dispute over the land is pending before the Supreme Court, Kumaraswamy said, adding that HMT possessed all relevant land records and that the court had granted interim relief. "There is no confusion over HMT land. We have all the documents. HMT land cannot be touched for any reason," he said.

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Claiming he had made sustained efforts to revive the PSU, Kumaraswamy said he had personally pursued the matter with PM Narendra Modi. He also questioned Khandre's record as forest minister, asking how much encroached forest land had been reclaimed during his tenure.