'THE DEATH OF LAWYER LINCOLN BASTIN IS AN IRREPARABLE LOSS’ - Tributes to a PUCL Colleague
By Sankaralingam, John Vincent
We are saddened to announce the death on 9th June, 2023 of Lincoln Bastin, Advocate and long-time member of PUCL – Tamil Nadu due to a sudden heart attack while in the Madras High Court premises. Hailing from a fishing community from Kanyakumari district, he ardently championed the campaign to recognise the fishers community similar to Adivasis and to be declared a ST community. A Marxist thinker and active with the CPI’s LAWYER’S UNION , he also wrote about the stellar contribution of a great trade union leader, Singaravelar, who was a fisher person by origin and who was part of the Madras Labour Union (one of India’s earliest trade unions) and who presided over the first Conference of the Communist Party of India in Kanpur. He was actively involved in various struggles of marginalised communities including the Dalit `Panchami’ land reclamation movement, Mines, Minerals & People, movement against police repression against Dalit protestors in Kodiankulam, police attempt to crush the Anti-Sterlite movement in Thoothukudi and other campaigns. He met Nepali leader Gujral when he was kept imprisoned in Chennai. On 9th JUNE, the day of his death he had participated in a consultation of fishing community from Ennore to Kovalam coast, during which he delivered a fiery speech. From the protest site he returned to the High Court in the afternoon to complete some legal work when he suddenly collapsed and died. Lincoln was only 50 years old. PUCL – TN salutes a courageous and fearless fighter for human rights!
Prof. Sankaralingam, President & John Vincent, GS, PUCL – Tamil Nadu