In the wake of Anna Hazare's statement that he would resume his indefinite fast from August 16 if an effective Lokpal Bill is not passed, three senior central ministers reiterated the government's hardening stand on Thursday evening.

Home minister P Chidambaram said, "We will draft a strong and sound Lokpal Bill by June 30, it is the resolve of the govt."

"You cannot threaten the government by going on fasts. We cannot create a structure parallel to govt; how can govt wantonly part with its power?" said HRD minister Kapil Sibal.

Ministers accused civil society of being rigid in the outlook to the Lokpal Bill saying there was divergence in opinion on the structural issue of the Bill.

In a press conference held by civil society earlier in the day, Anna and his team had accused the government of having no intention of enacting a strong anti-corruption law saying they had "back tracked" from their statement. They plan to go on agitation again and will bear the brunt if the government tries to crush it like Baba Ramdev's movement. "If it is a weak bill, then it is of no use to the people," Anna said.