Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy accuses Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre of trespassing on HMT land in Bengaluru 

The Union Minister and Mr. Khandre have been at loggerheads over the past few months over the 599-acre HMT land

Updated - October 31, 2024 10:42 am IST - Bengaluru

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy | Photo Credit: File photo

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy accused Karnataka Forest & Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre of ‘trespassing’ land belonging to Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) in Bengaluru and a complaint about this has been filed in court.

Speaking to reporters in Channapatna on Wednesday, Mr. Kumaraswamy accused Mr. Khandre of trespassing on HMT land after the latter visited the premises in Peenya-Jalahalli on October 29 and alleged that hundreds of trees had been illegally axed during the filming of Yash-starrer Toxic.

What Khandre said

“It has been observed that HMT is also renting out forest land under its control for film shoots and leasing vacant spaces. Recently, in the forest land reportedly sold to Canara Bank by HMT, a massive set had been erected for Toxic, and shooting was going on for several months. Hundreds of trees and plants have been cut to erect the film set. Cutting trees in forest land without legal permission is a punishable offence,” Mr. Khander said on Tuesday.

Reacting to this, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “He (Khandre) lacks information and knowledge. The land he visited was handed over to Canara Bank in 2002, and the Minister is creating unnecessary confusion. Tomorrow or the day after, I will provide all documents and clarify before the media.”

At loggerheads

Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Khandre have been at loggerheads over the past few months over the 599-acre HMT land.

Mr. Khandre has been stating that the government of Karnataka will move to reclaim HMT land as it was forest land that was ‘illegally transferred’ to HMT in the 1960s. Mr. Kumaraswamy has accused the State government of doing ‘politics of vendetta’ after he announced a plan to revive HMT.

The Forest Department of Karnataka has already taken possession of five acres of vacant land in Peenya-Jalahalli belonging to HMT.

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