MUMBAI, July 9: The entire opposition of the state legislative council TODAY staged a walkout demanding that the state government apply Section 307 (attempt to murder) on the assaulters of Congress MLA, Ashok Mohol.

Prabhakar More, Minister of State for Home, in a statement in the council, listed out sections 323, 324, 325 that have been applied on the 13 accused apprehended in the case. Most of the opposition members counter attacked the state government's statement on the assault. ``The statement of Ashok Mohol after the assault does not mention any murderous assault and hence there does not seem to be any need to apply the section 307,'' More said.

However, Congress member, Arun Mehta observed that the assault had actually been a conspiracy with two cars following the vehicle of Mohol. ``Without even allowing the passengers to disembark, the assaulters started throwing stones at them. '' he said. Gopinath Munde, Deputy Chief Minister, denied that the assaulters belonged to any political party. ``Zilla Parishad and Gram Panchayat elections are not fought on political lines. Hence, none of the assaulters belonged to any political party,'' he said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.