Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy on August 13 said that there is no question of returning the land under the control of the HMT factory, which is owned by the Union government, to the Karnataka government. Addressing a press conference at the HMT building in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said that if the Congress government in the state creates obstacles regarding the land issue with malicious intent, they would go to court.
The Union Minister questioned the state government's intentions, asking what they plan to do with the land if they take it back from the factory, and which builder they intend to give it to. “On one hand, you accuse the Union government of not cooperating with the state, and on the other hand, you obstruct central ministers who are trying to do something good for the state,” Kumaraswamy said.
Kumaraswamy also mentioned that the HMT factory once employed 15,000 to 20,000 employees and made a profit of Rs 270 crore in 1970. “This money led to the establishment of branches in Hyderabad, North Karnataka, Kerala, Ajmer, and other places,” he said.
The minister pointed out that the decision to sell 200 acres of HMT land was made during the 1999-2004 period and that he had issued an order in 2006 preventing the sale of any HMT land. He criticized the state government for attempting to obstruct the factory’s progress and for having an interest in the land that should have been preserved.
The Union Minister also highlighted the obstacles faced in the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company project and the challenges in securing financial guarantees for the Devadari Mining Project, which were initially approved during Siddaramaiah's tenure as Chief Minister. He pointed out the inconsistency in the state government's policies, questioning the delay and confusion they created.