Indian Home Rule or Hind Swaraj

I'm back to MK Gandhi. The earlier blog that I wrote on the great man made me think i should probably read more of his works. I finished reading his 'Indian Home Rule or Hind Swaraj'. The entire book is in the format of Questions and Answers.
I know that many Indians hold that the Mahatma was not all that great as he's made out to be. In fact many call him a villain. Personally, I hold the main in high esteem. So the idea was to read more of Gandhi's works so that I could arm myself with data when I wanted to counter such elements. But now I'm more confused that ever !

Check this out. The man was against doctors, he was against railways, he was against lawyers and hold your breath, against education as we know it !

Sample this:

"Railways, lawyers and doctors have impoverished the country, so much so that, if we do not wake up in time, we shall be ruined. It must be manifest to you that but for the railways, the English could not have such a hold on India as they have.....Railways have increased the frequency of famines, because, owing to the facility of means of locomotion, people sell out their grain, and it is sent to the dearest markets. People become careless, and so the pressure of famine increases....The holy places of India have become unholy. Formerly people went to these places with great difficulty. Generally, therefore, only the real devotees visited such places. Nowadays rogues visit them in order to practice their roguery"

I simply can't understand it. I mean, every new technology will have its pros and cons. Forget new technology; everything will have its pros and cons. How could he criticize the railways like this ? Even fire has destructive powers. So should we discontinue using it ?

Read his views on doctors. To say i was shocked is an understatement.

"Hospitals are institutions of propagating sin. Doctors have almost unhinged us. Sometimes i think quacks are better than highly qualified doctors. Let us consider the business of a doctor is to take care of the body....and to get rid of the diseases that afflict it. How do these diseases arise ? By our negligence or indulgence. I overeat, I have indigestion, I go to a doctor, he gives me medicine. I'm cured. I overeat again, I take his pills again. Had i not taken the pills in the first instance, I would have suffered the punishment deserved by me and I would not have overeaten again.....I have indulged in vice, I contract a disease, a doctor cures me, the odds are that I shall repeat the vice. Had the doctor not intervened, nature would have done its work (sic), and I would have acquired mastery over myself ...and would have become happy"

So is he saying we should live like cavemen ? I felt like laughing when i read his statement on vice. Many STDs can be transmitted by blood transfusions also. They can also be transmitted from mother to child in the womb. But for advances in medical science many innocent lives would have been lost. I fail to see how doctors and medical science can be bad for the society.

Then again, could it be that his words seem out of context now ? Could it be that India's progress in these past 75 years has made his ideas lose meaning ?

Now I'm more intrigued than ever. I simply have to read more of his works. My mouth is watering at the prospect.