<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">NEW DELHI: Popular TV actress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti ''Tulsi'' Irani has threatened to fast unto death demanding the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.<br /><br />Irani will begin her fast on December 25, the birthday of BJP leader and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.<br /><br />Irani, who unsuccessfully contested from Delhi''s Muslim-dominated Chandni Chowk constituency in the April-May parliamentary elections, blamed Modi for BJP''s recent electoral reverses.<br /><br />Modi has been widely criticised for his handling of the 2002 communal violence in Gujarat, which killed more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims.<br /><br />Asked by a television channel if she had the permission of senior BJP leaders for her move, Irani said: "Why do you think you need permission to do what you think is right. BJP is a democratic party." <br /><br />She denied that her action amounted to indiscipline and said she was not instigating party workers to join her in the fast.<br /><br />"Whenever people mention Gujarat they only talk about the riots and try to corner the Gujaratis on the issue. So, in order to maintain the respect that I have for Atalji and the BJP, I won''t hesitate to take this step," she said.<br /><br />Smriti Irani plays the popular character of Tulsi in <span style="" font-style:="" italic;''="">Kyonki Saas bhi kabhi bahu thi</span> on Star Plus.</div> </div>