D.D. THAKUR was an eminent Supreme Court lawyer, former Judge of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, former Minister in Sheikh Abdullah's Cabinet, former Deputy Chief Minister of the state and also the Governor of Assam. As a Minister in Sheikh Abdullah's cabinet, he was responsible for various progressive measures adopted to rid the system of corruption and arbitrariness. His role as a bridge between the Sheikh and the Congress Party which was then in majority sustained the accord between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah. He played a crucial role in Dr Abdullah's dismissal and installation of a coalition government, which was both admired and criticised. His tenure as Governor of Assam and chairman of the Northeast Council stemmed the secessionist movement in that state and is remembered for the all-round development of the Northeast region in general and Assam in particular.
The book traces the eventful life of D.D. Thakur that began in the backwoods of what was a princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in northern India. It chronicles the events that culminated in Pak-occupation of a part of the state territory followed by accession to India and the emergence of popular rule in the state. It describes the stages through which democracy and democratic institutions in the state passed. It gives a ringside view of the political developments in the state post-Independence, especially the Kashmir Accord between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah and its political fallout. At the national level, the author?s interaction with the leaders of the post-independence era, events and anecdotes connected with them provides an insight into the contemporary political thought and compulsions. He describes the events that led to Farooq Abdullah?s rise and fall in Kashmir politics and the circumstances that resulted in his dismissal in 1984, leading to the split of the National Conference and installation of the GM Shah-led ministry. The latter part of the book focuses on the author?s tenure as Governor of the troubled state of Assam and the secessionist activities in that region. His understanding of the nature and magnitude of the problem brings to public domain considerable information that was hitherto unknown. In this book, he shares diverse facts not only about his life but also about the people he met and matters he had an opportunity to handle during his chequered career.
