AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and the MNS for their tirade against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

"In Maharashtra, MNS leader Raj Thackeray keeps on saying throw out people of Bihar and UP. But, who killed the terrorists who had attacked Mumbai? They were the NSG guys from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and from the rest of the country. At that time they did not say throw away Biharis," he said.

Rahul made remarks at an interactive session with workers of Youth Congress and NSUI here and while addressing a conference on Dalit youth leadership development in Bihar.

The Congress leader said in lighter vein "if terrorists have to be fought with, let Biharis remain there." Asking the youth to change Bihar, Rahul lamented lack of development in the state.

"Bihar has to be changed and it is the youth that will bring this change by joining politics. There is no problem with people of Bihar," he said.

Rahul is on a two-day visit to the state to boost NSUI and Youth Congress membership drive at a time when Bihar is preparing for assembly elections later this year.

The Congress leader took potshots at the BJP-JD(U) government in the state, saying funds sent by the Centre for development schemes in Bihar were not utilised properly.

"We can send money but we cannot implement schemes. It is the state government's responsibility and in Bihar the government is not of Congress. We can send money and we are sending it more and more, but if the money is eaten away, we (the Centre) cannot do anything," Rahul said.