The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Centre to protect Tamils in Karnataka and Kerala in view of recent protests over sharing Cauvery water and lathi-charge on Public Works Department officials from Tamil Nadu in Parambikulam respectively. A Division Bench of Justices S. Nagamuthu and M.V. Muralidaran refused to entertain the petition after recording the submissions of a government counsel that the State was taking steps to safeguard the interests of Tamils and observing the case appeared to have been filed more in publicity than public interest.