MUMBAI: NeerajHatekar, director of Mumbai University’s department of economics, said he will take voluntary retirement in a Facebook post on Monday, calling the happenings at the university as ‘deeply distressing’. However, he is yet to tender his resignation in writing to the university.

Hatekar, 51, took the decision after the university issued a circular, without his knowledge, on his apology over his remarks in a social media post.Hatekar told TOI vice-chancellor (Sanjay Deshmukh) has no regard for the self-respect of a teacher. “He pressurized me to tender an apology for a social media post. Since I did not wish to disturb the ongoing assessment process and looking at the larger good of students, I agreed to do so. But it did not stop there, as the university issued a circular about my apology without my knowledge, on Sunday night,” said Hatekar.

He was referring to his Facebook post about the officer on special duty, VinayakDalvie, threatening teachers with action in case of non-performance of their assessment duties (see box). Dalvie’s statement appeared in TOI on July 28. But the university issued a circular stating the OSD was misquoted. It further mentioned no circular on such action was issued by the university and after realizing it Hatekar posted his apology on Facebook. “Why should a university issue a circular over a Facebook post? It was a breach of trust as I was not even informed,” said Hatekar.

While Dalvie did not comment, Registrar M A Khan said Hatekar’s post had gone viral and that too at a time when the university was trying to bring more discipline. “When a responsible person appointed and approved by the governor is issuing any directive, another senior professor should not be nullifying it. He should have spoken to the V-C if he had any reservations,” said Khan. The university circular even said Hatekar’s Facebook post created confusion in the minds of teachers assessing papers.Khan said the university has not received any written communication from Hatekar.

Hatekar said, “I have not given my resignation letter as I don’t want to add to the controversy. I don’t want wrong people to get into it and gain mileage.”