Activists of Gujarat's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday criticised Hindi film actress Diya Mirza for extending support to Bollywood star Aamir Khan on the controversial issue of the Narmada dam.

Mirza had termed the protests in Gujarat against Aamir as "unjustified" and lent support to the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA).

On April 14, Aamir had participated in the demonstrations by the NBA in New Delhi and offered support to the "poor tribals who will lose their land and will be displaced from their homes if the height of the (Sardar Sarovar) dam (over Narmada river) is raised".

Activists of both the BJP and the opposition Congress in Gujarat had then reacted sharply and resorted to burning posters and effigies of the actor and stopping the screening of his film "Rang De Basanti".

Dhansukh Bhanderi, mayor of Rajkot, led a demonstration Monday in the Saurashtra city against Mirza following her media comments Sunday.

"She should not have made those comments, particularly when she doesn't have enough understanding of the issue," said Bhanderi.

"I think she doesn't understand the importance of the dam for us who live in the arid regions of Saurashtra and Kutch," he said.