Baltej Pannu is an Indian journalist, social activist and political satirist who made headlines after supporting farm protests in India against three farmer bills passed in the Indian Parliament in September 2020.
Wiki/Biography
Baltej Pannu was born on Friday, April 5, 1968 (age 53 years; in 2021) in Sultanpur Lodhi, Punjab. He got schooling from the government. High School in Sultanpur Lodhi, and at the age of 18, he moved to Canada with his father. He returned from Canada in 2011 after working there for 25 years.
Physical appearance
Hair Color: Bald
Eye Color: Black
Family & Caste
Parents & Siblings
Baltej’s mother died of cancer when he was young.
Baltej Pannu with his father
Relationships, Wife & Children
His wife’s name is Ranjita Kaur, and he has a son, Jasdeep Pannu.
Baltej Pannu with his son
Address
Mr. Pannu is a resident of Green Field Enclave, Officers Colony in Patiala, Punjab.
Career
Journalism
Baltej Pannu started working as a radio journalist in 1990 in Brampton, Canada. He gained popularity after working for many world-renowned radio news stations, such as Punjabi Radio USA, Connect Radio BC Canada and South Asian Radio Edmonton. Mr. Pannu returned to India in 2011, and he started working as an editor for the website www.aajnama.com in 2013. Due to his social and political activism, Baltej began appearing six days a week on numerous radio and television programs on 5AAB TV, a Punjabi-language channel based in Mississauga; Mississauga is a city in Canada. He has appeared in many news shows on YouTube channel Punjabi Radio USA including “Khabar Te Nazar.”
Social & Political Activism
Baltej Pannu publicly criticized the Punjab government for failing to control corruption and increasing the illegal drug trade during Parkash Singh Badal’s tenure as its Chief Minister, and Baltej, in his show on Punjabi Radio USA and Connect Radio BC Canada, claimed that since Parkash Singh Badal, his son, and his two brothers-in-law held important political positions in the Punjab Government, they must have close ties to drug traffickers. Mr. Pannu has also been very vocal with his views on the CAA and NRC introduced by the BJP government in December 2019. He has also protested the Indian agriculture act 2020.
Controversy
- On 28 November 2015, Baltej was arrested for allegedly raping Nancy Ghuman, an activist who runs an NGO for disabled children. Nancy filed a complaint against Mr. Pannu stating that he repeatedly raped her on the pretext of marrying her and taking her to Canada. He also disrupted a press conference conducted by AAP MP Bhagwant Mann who was in favor of Baltej. Bhagwant fled the press conference, and Nancy told reporters,
When I insisted that he marry me, he started threatening me saying that he would upload a recording to slander me. That’s when I decided to get him charged in the rape case.”
Following his complaint, Baltej was held in judicial custody for 72 days because of his Canadian citizenship. Later, the journalist was acquitted of all charges by the court. In the interview, after his release, Baltej admitted that he was a victim of political vendetta for speaking out against the Akali-BJP government. Reportedly, he also received death threats from armed men of Akali ministers for his anti-government comments.
Baltej Pannu after being arrested
- During the farmers’ protest in 2021, Baltej, along with eleven other protesters, received a notice from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) regarding a case registered against Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, identified as a terrorist by the Government of India, and a member of Sikhs for Justice, a pro-Khalistan organization based in the US. It was seen by several media houses and scholars as an effort by the government to prevent the protest. While talking about this in an interview, Mr. Pannu said,
I am actively supporting farmers agitation on social media but I have spoken against Khalistan and Pannu [Gurpatwant Singh Pannu] openly in my radio talks and TV shows. There was no question of raising any funds for them. Maybe I was given notice because my surname is also Pannu.”
Car Collection
Baltej owns a Mahindra Scorpio.
Baltej Pannu is standing in front of his car
Facts/Trivia
- Tracing his roots from Punjab, Mr. Pannu became a Canadian citizen after moving to Canada in 1986.
- He won the award for Best Ethnic Editor in 2001.
- According to Canadian newspapers, more than 3000 people, including Ontario NDP Deputy Leader Jagmeet Singh, rallied for Baltej’s release on November 27, 2020 (one day after his arrest). More than 11,000 people signed a petition asking the Canadian government to pressure the Indian government to release him and return to Canada.
People protested Mr. Pannu’s release
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
