The Janaposha Foundation today announced that it was suspending its free meals project with immediate effect after false allegations had been made recently. Parliamentarian Gamini Lokuge had been quoted in the media as making comments against the organisation and its free meals project. In a statement the Janaposha Foundation noted that it was with great sense of sadness, despair and a heavy heart, the Foundation has taken a decision to close its doors and suspend services from 25th June 2019. Unknown to many, since 2012, the Janaposha initiative has silently been serving the poor and underprivileged communities of our country. As a truly Sri Lankan organisation, the Foundation has served all those who have walked through its doors. Since its inception, the Janaposha Foundation understood that visitors to the country’s main General Hospitalwere already burdened with a sense of helplessness;a majority travel from far corners of the country seeking healing or visiting sick family members, their sense of despair heightens as many stay hungry to save money or simply because they do not have time to look after themselves or know where to go for a simple meal. With a firm belief that they should not go hungry, the Foundation initially began operations near the General Hospital Colombo, regardless of cast or creed, untiringly providing free warm wholesome meals to all who visitedits center. With the realisation that many of the underprivileged visiting the Teaching Hospital Kalubowila and the Cancer Hospital Maharagamaalso facedsimilar dire situations, a daily struggle for food, the Foundation extended its services to these locations in 2016 and 2017 respectively. To-datethe Janaposha Foundation has annually served overhalf a million peopleirrespective of caste, race and religion who availed themselves of free food,sharing meals togetherin harmony. The Foundation has continuously worked towards the well-being of the underprivileged it served and remains committed to ensure these poor caregivers are not marginalized. However, it has been brought to the notice of the foundation that their noble intention of serving the poor and destitute has been misconstrued. With a sense of responsibility and given the tenuous circumstances, the Foundation is left with no choice but with a heavy heart and a grave sense of despair, forced to suspend operations immediately at the General Hospital, Kalubowila Teaching Hospital and the Maharagama Cancer Hospital, the statement said. The Foundation said it is also mindful of its responsibility towards the safety and security of its diverse employees who unstintingly worked together dedicating themselves towards this worthy cause. The suspension of the Foundation’s services will ensure its staff is not endangered in anyway should acts of communal violence be directed towards them.