Baba Ramdev blocks Bryan Johnson over pollution remark on viral horse race video

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has blocked American tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson on X (formerly Twitter) after the latter commented on the air pollution in Haridwar under Ramdev’s viral video. The video showed Ramdev running alongside a horse and later consuming pills to promote Patanjali's Swarna Shilajit and Immunogrit Gold, claiming they boost immunity, anti-aging, and strength.

Johnson, known for his anti-aging experiments and longevity advocacy, left a comment on the post, highlighting Haridwar’s poor air quality and its harmful effects on health. However, Ramdev initially hid Johnson’s comment before completely blocking him on social media.

Johnson later took to X to share a screenshot of Ramdev’s post, revealing that his comment had been hidden before he was blocked. He wrote:

“I replied with this comment and he hid it and blocked me: Air quality in Haridwar right now is PM₂.₅ 36 µg/m³ which is equal to smoking 1.6 cigarettes a day. This raises risks of heart disease by 40–50%, lung cancer by 3x, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and early death (5–7 years lost).”

The post quickly gained attention, sparking discussions on air pollution in India and the normalization of hazardous air quality levels.

The post in question featured Ramdev promoting Patanjali’s products, claiming:

“Ghode ki tarah tez daudne ki taakat, strong immunity, anti-ageing aur power chahiye toh Swarna Shilajit avam Immunogrit Gold khaaiye [If you want to run like a horse, want strong immunity, anti-ageing, and power then consume Swarna Shilajit and Immunogrit Gold].”

The video aimed to showcase the benefits of Patanjali’s herbal supplements, but it inadvertently brought

During his visit to India, Johnson reported experiencing skin breakouts, rashes, and irritation in his eyes and throat, likely due to pollution. He even walked out of Nikhil Kamath’s podcast midway when the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 120, indicating moderate pollution.

Expressing his concern, he remarked:

“Air pollution has been so normalised in India that no one even notices anymore despite the science of its negative effects being well known. People would be outside running. Babies and small children exposed from birth. No one wore a mask which can significantly decrease exposure. It was so confusing.”

Johnson’s revelations have sparked a debate on air pollution awareness in India, with many agreeing that poor air quality has become an overlooked health crisis. Others defended Ramdev, arguing that his focus was on promoting wellness through Ayurveda, rather than addressing environmental concerns.

Despite the controversy, Baba Ramdev has not responded to the criticism or Johnson’s claims about being blocked. However, the incident has once again put the spotlight on Haridwar’s air quality, a topic that is rarely discussed despite its spiritual and tourism significance.