Parents wait outside the Montessori. (Biplab Basak)

Siliguri, April 15: A demonstration by Congress workers in front of a Montessori in Jalpaiguri forced the school authorities to suspend classes today.

The trouble began after Saikat Chatterjee, the Congress councillor of Ward 8 of Jalpaiguri Municipality, opened an office in the building that also houses Mother Edith’s School.

Chatterjee had entered into an agreement with Niren Ghosh, the owner of the building in Babupara area, to rent out a room to meet his supporters every Sunday.

“I invited the residents and inaugurated the office on Sunday. I thought that since people would come only on Sundays, the office would not disturb the school atmosphere,” said Chatterjee, who is also the secretary of the Montessori’s managing committee.

The councillor alleged that Bandana Sinha, the headmistress of the 32-year-old school with 150-odd students and 11 employees, took down the office boards yesterday evening.

“I immediately lodged a complaint with police against Sinha and two of her colleagues,” said Chatterjee.

The councillor, along with the party workers, started demonstrating in front of the school around 10.30am today. “The headmistress came out and abused us, forcing us to call Kotwali police,” Chatterjee claimed.

Classes had to be suspended as children grew impatient and parents started arriving to take their wards home.

The law enforcers arranged an informal meeting between the headmistress and the councillor at the police station, where Sinha agreed to allow Chatterjee to run the office from the same building.

The headmistress said the school had opposed the opening of the office from the moment Ghosh told them about the matter. She alleged that the Congress supporters had humiliated her today.

The police said the dispute was settled amicably.