Dhumal said although the matter had been raised repeatedly by the successive state governments, once even by the governor Bali Ram Bhagat, the Centre was not prepared to change its stand. He was replying a private member's resolution seeking Centre's intervention in getting HP its share in Chandigarh.

"As far as the Centre is concerned, this is a dead issue. Passing the resolution time and again will not serve any purpose. Informally or otherwise, we will continue to raise this issue, beside other matters under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966," said Dhumal.

The resolution, which was moved by BJP MLA Chander Sen, also received support from the opposition Congress for its adoption.

Senior Congress legislator and former minister J.B.L. Khachi observed that the government should put a final lid on the issue and agreed with the chief minister that the chapter should be closed once for all.

Chander sen, who had moved the resolution and vehemently pleaded for the acceptance of the state's claim, later agreed to withdraw the resolution after the chief minister's plea. Sen admitted that he was not aware of the factual position like many other members of the house, particularly about Centre's stand.

Earlier, speaking on the resolution, former speaker and Congress MLA Kaul Singh Thakur, said the claim on assets of the Chandigarh was based on the provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act and the Congress was ready to extend all possible support to the government in such matters.

Viplove Thakur. another Congress MLA ,alleged that Himachal being a small state had suffered a lot in the hands of Punjab and it must get its due. "Let first seven sectors of Chandigarh be transferred to us as share of 7.19 percent," the MLA suggested.

Tracing the sequence after the merger of some parts of Punjab into Himachal Pradesh when Punjab Reorganisation Act came into effect, Dhumal said that assets of the composite Punjab were also transferred to the successor states on "as is where is basis." Himachal also got its share of movable and immovable property.

However, in 1970, the state assembly passed a resolution asking for its share in Chandigarh. Later, the issue was also raised in the Parliament and then Union Home Minister, in his reply, announced that Himachal had no ground to feel dissatisfied. "This proves that the Centre had totally rejected our claim," he added.

Despite this, in 1986 and 1989, the issue was raised with the Centre afresh. In 1993, the then governor Bali Ram Bhagat also wrote a letter to the Centre. Union Home Minister S.B. Chavan had replied to it, reiterating Centre's earlier stand. Dhumal read out the letter and the reply sent to it by the then home minister.