Vajpayee attends Thengadi's funeral

The mortal remains of senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue and founder of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Dattopant Thengadi, were consigned to flames on Friday in the presence of a large gathering of people, including former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

His nephew Satish Thengadi lit the pyre.

"Trade unionism is facing a crisis today," the former PM said while paying tributes to Thengadi.

Referring to capitalism and trade unionism and communism, Vajpayee said: "We have before us two paths, one of which is on the way out. There is a need to find out the third one."

"Workers' interests should be protected but at the same time nation's too must be borne in mind. The workers' movement is in a crisis and how to balance things in a changing scenario should be considered using the third way out, which was what Thengadi had been attempting," he said.

Thengadi (84) died on Thursday in a private nursing home at Pune, where he was admitted after a fall in the bathroom.