New Delhi, Nov. 26: CPI leader A.B. Bardhan today rapped the government but not hard enough to rattle the ruling establishment.

At a public rally organised by the CPI-backed All India Trade Union Congress (Aituc), Bardhan warned the government that it must not “behave” as if it is in a majority.

“Some Congress ministers forget they are in a coalition. They forget they have only 145 seats and are in a minority,” Bardhan said.

He, however, softened the blow by saying the Left was not going to threaten the “stability” of the government. It was not the Left’s “style to threaten”, Bardhan added. “We do not want to impose anything on the government. But the government must not forget they are here because of our support.”

The public rally preceded Aituc’s general council meeting which will begin a two-day session tomorrow.

Aituc leader Gurudas Dasgupta set the tone by launching an attack on the UPA government’s economic policies. “We will never accept FDI (foreign direct investment) in a sector if it involved violation of labour laws,” the trade union leader said.

“The trade union movement is being accused of being a hindrance to investment. We are not against investment. We know it creates employment,” Dasgupta said.

But he made it clear that Aituc is opposed to many government decisions like the move to privatise pension fund and divestment in non- navratna, profit-making public sector undertakings.

The speeches of Bardhan and Dasgupta brought to the fore the contradictions between not only the Left and the UPA but also between the Left parties and their trade unions.

Left leaders realise that they cannot pull down the government. The strategy, therefore, is one of “barking but not biting”.

The Left parties are at odds with the trade unions on the economic policies. For instance, the trade unions are adamantly opposed to the pension fund regulatory authority bill. But the parties are more flexible.