When a massive number of people think that a law is unjust, there will be massive protests, P. Chidambaram told the Supreme Court on Thursday.

“Remember what happened in the US against the Vietnam war, in Paris.... Farmers have not blocked the roads. The farmers only wanted to march to Delhi in a peaceful manner. We must see who has stopped them. It is the police who have blocked them,” said Chidambaram, appearing for the Punjab government in the farmers’ case.

Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde said: “The question whether a mob should be allowed into the city or not is a question best left to the police and not the court. We don’t have the infrastructure.”

Chidambaram interjected to say: “This is not a mob but farmers.”

The CJI clarified: “I didn’t use the word ‘mob’ in the Chicago sense.”