Hyderabad, Sep 8 (IANS): Telangana Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution demanding the Centre to confer the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna posthumously on former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, who moved the resolution, urged the Centre to install Narasimha Rao's statue and portrait in Parliament.

The resolution also called for renaming the Central University of Hyderabad as P.V. Narasimha Rao Central University.

The resolution urged the Centre to confer Bharat Ratna on the son of Telangana, Narasimha Rao, who was the first Prime Minister from south India. It described him as the architect of new economic reforms, a rare diplomat, a polyglot, an outstanding philosopher who led the country on the path of development and an extraordinary intelligent leader.

Stating that Narasimha Rao fully deserved Bharat Ratna, the Chief Minister called upon the Central government to make an announcement in the ensuing session of Parliament.

KCR said it was unfortunate that Narasimha Rao did not get the due recognition and the Telangana government is celebrating his birth centenary to recall contributions of the late leader.

KCR said Narasimha Rao was a reformer who initiated several reforms in the country. He was recognised as a great intellectual all over the world.

The Chief Minister recalled that when land was the only resource for people to have their employment and earnings, Narasimha Rao as the Chief Minister of the then undivided Andhra Pradesh had implemented land reforms daringly. He claimed that this resulted in having 93 per cent small and medium level farmers in the Telangana state now.

The Chief Minister said it was due to economic reforms that Narasimha Rao implemented as the Prime Minister that the country marched ahead on the path of progress and its economy stabilized.

KCR listed out the achievements of Narasimha Rao as the state Chief Minister, Union Minister and later as the Prime Minister.

Opposition Congress party supported the resolution. Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said Narasimha Rao should be conferred with the country's highest civilian award.