Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday, 9 July flatly denied that the Karnataka government holds any legal claim over the disputed HMT land in Bengaluru, accusing state minister Eshwar Khandre of making misleading statements to score political points. The remarks came at a press conference in Bengaluru and escalated a simmering dispute between the Centre and the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government over one of the city's most contested land parcels.

Background: What the Dispute Is About

Eshwar Khandre, who serves as Karnataka's Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and previously held the Forest, Ecology and Environment portfolio, had alleged that the Centre was attempting to illegally dispose of forest land for real estate development. He stated that a forest official's order had directed HMT to vacate the land, adding that HMT was 'illegally using forest land for commercial purposes.'

Kumaraswamy rejected those claims outright. 'The Forest Department has no authority or ownership over the HMT land. Anyone making such claims should first examine the relevant documents,' he said at the press conference.

Centre's Position: Litigation, Revival, and a Court Order

The Union Minister confirmed that ownership of the HMT land is currently before the Supreme Court, which has already granted interim protection — effectively freezing any unilateral action on the property. He described a notice issued by a forest official directing vacation of the land as 'illegal' and flagged its suspicious timing: the notice was reportedly issued just 15 days before the retirement of the concerned official.

Kumaraswamy also disclosed that a revival package for HMT was in its final stages and said he had held multiple meetings in New Delhi to secure Prime Minister Narendra Modi's backing for the revival of both HMT and the Bhadravati steel plant.

Kumaraswamy Turns the Tables on Khandre

The Union Minister went on the offensive against Khandre, questioning his record as the former Forest Minister. He alleged that Khandre had failed to protect forest land during his own tenure and pointed to alleged encroachments in and around the Jakkur Plantation area, asking under what authority marriage halls and other structures had been permitted on land that Khandre had proposed to develop into a biodiversity park.

Kumaraswamy challenged Khandre to a joint media inspection of the HMT site. 'Let us visit the site together along with the media. If HMT has misused the land, or if others have encroached upon it, the facts will become clear. Since your party (Congress) is in power in the state, order an inquiry. We have no objection,' he said.

Industrial Investment and Karnataka's Missed Opportunities

Broadening his criticism, Kumaraswamy pointed to Andhra Pradesh having attracted a proposed ₹1.3 lakh crore investment from ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel for a new steel plant, and asked why Karnataka had been unable to secure comparable large-scale projects despite active support from the Centre. He alleged that the state government was creating obstacles through public criticism instead of cooperating on industrial development.

The Union Minister said he remained willing to meet state government representatives with all relevant records to resolve the HMT land dispute and urged Karnataka to work with the Centre rather than against it on projects intended to benefit the state's economy.

What Comes Next

With the Supreme Court having granted interim protection over the HMT land, any decisive action by either the Centre or the Karnataka government is legally constrained for now. The fate of HMT's revival package — and the land it sits on — will likely hinge on the court's final ruling. Political observers note that the row is unlikely to cool ahead of Karnataka's next electoral cycle, with both sides using the dispute to frame competing narratives on governance and federalism.