Patna,  The ban on the PFI evoked an exchange of barbs in Bihar with Union Minister Giriraj Singh saying "bye-bye, PFI" and a JD-U leader hitting back, saying the people will bid a farewell to his BJP in 2024.

"The ban of PFI should be welcomed. It helps to maintain peace and communal harmony in the country and poor Muslims will be saved from getting astray. Bye-Bye PFI," Singh said.

"When (RJD chief) Lalu Ji (Lalu Prasad) became the Chief Minister of Bihar in 1990, he was appreciating the BJP and the RSS. Now, he is demanding a ban on the RSS to keep intact his Muslim vote bank," he claimed.

Following Giriraj Singh's statement, JD-U's ex-legislative councillor Gulam Rasool Balyawi said: "When the voters of the country will demand to know the work you have done during BJP tenure in 2024, then give the answer to them. Don't worry, the people of the country will soon say bye-bye to you. The BJP leaders are realising their fate in 2024, hence they are saying bye-bye. It had highlighted the Tablighi Jamaat during the corona pandemic and made hue and cry for a week. Then everyone knows what happened to it."

"The Centre has banned the PFI but it should also produce the documental proofs in public domain to prove the guilt of the PFI.. how it was involved in anti-national activities and the fundings were done from which foreign countries. I also want to ask the Narendra Modi government to show the details of funding of the RSS, its bank details, the beneficiaries and the annual turnover," Balyawi said.

"The Narendra Modi government is diverting the attention of people from real issues like unemployment, price rise of every commodity, fuel and other goods by bringing a ban on the PFI. The RSS was also banned twice and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel did it. He was the real hero of the country during the freedom struggle. On the other hand, the RSS was with the British government," Balyawi said.