DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Reiterating that Punjab is yet to give Haryana its rightful share of space in the common assembly building for the two states, Haryana Speaker Gian Chand Gupta on Wednesday asserted that he is not begging but claiming the state's right. Gupta made the claim citing provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, which, he said, provides for 40 percent of the space in the assembly building to the Haryana, which, however, has got only 27 percent of the space till now. At least 20 rooms of the Haryana share in assembly building is in the possession of Punjab, he added. "We are not begging, but demanding only our rightful share. We are asking for what is our rightful share in the assembly building," Gupta said. Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh, however, had earlier claimed that ''not an inch was due'' to Haryana in the assembly building. Gupta, however, reiterated that Haryana has not been given its rightful share in the assembly building after the creation of the state following the reorganisation of Punjab nearly 54 years ago. He said earlier when he had met the Punjab assembly Speaker, he had agreed to have a meeting arranged between the secretaries of the two assemblies on the issue. "He had said the two secretaries would meet and discuss the issue. Later, I do not know what happened and he went back on his word. The meeting never took place. Now, without the two sides having any meeting or discussion, the Punjab Speaker has been saying that not an inch is due (to Haryana)," Gupta told reporters here. He said he has also raised the issue with Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore, who is also the Administrator of Chandigarh Union Territory. Gupta said he would urge Badnore to intervene in the issue. "Fifty-three years have passed since Haryana was carved out of Punjab. We are only asking for our due share in the assembly building in Chandigarh (which serves as the common capital of both the states," he said. Since Haryana came into existence on November 1, 1966, both states are having common buildings for their secretariats and assemblies besides having a common high court. Gupta had also said if given their share, Haryana officials would get enough space for work, further improving the functioning of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. Punjab Speaker Singh, however, had earlier said the issue has already been sorted out. "I have examined it, I have checked it, if there was even one inch of space, we would have definitely given it. But there is nothing that we have to give," he said recently. (editor@dailyworld.in)